Below you'll find featured rates available from our partners, followed by details from our ranking of the best CDs available nationwide.
CD rates have generally been declining since the Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate twice in the past two months. But the top rates held their ground across every CD term today, including the nation-leading offer of 5.50% from Nuvision Credit Union. Its 8-month term offers a rate guarantee until mid-July next year—provided you don't mind a maximum deposit limit of $5,000.
If you're looking to sock away more than $5,000, a runner-up CD may be a better choice for you. Newtek Bank is offering 5.25% on a 6-month rate lock. Or, you might prefer Apple Federal Credit Union's 12-month CD, which guarantees a 5.00% return until November next year. In total, eight options in our ranking of the best nationwide CDs pay rates of at least 5.00%.
| CD Terms | Friday's Top National Rate | Today's Top National Rate | Day's Change (percentage points) | Top Rate Provider |
| 3 months | 5.00% | 5.00% | No change | Digital Federal Credit Union |
| 6 months | 5.50% | 5.50% | No change | Nuvision Credit Union |
| 1 year | 5.00% | 5.00% | No change | Apple Federal Credit Union |
| 18 months | 4.65% | 4.65% | No change | FedChoice Federal Credit Union |
| 2 years | 4.30% | 4.30% | No change | Dow Credit Union |
| 3 years | 4.35% | 4.35% | No change | Dow Credit Union |
| 4 years | 4.30% | 4.30% | No change | Dow Credit Union |
| 5 years | 4.30% | 4.30% | No change | Dow Credit Union |
Among CDs that will lock your rate into 2026, the highest APY you can earn is 4.65%. That's available for 15 months from FedChoice Federal Credit Union. Meanwhile, the top APYs on certificates ranging from 2 to 5 years are all offered by Dow Credit Union with rates of 4.30% to 4.35%. A 5-year CD would guarantee today's rate until almost 2030.
Multi-year CDs are very smart right now, given the prospect of continued Fed rate cuts. The central bank lowered the federal funds rate another quarter-point last week, and a further reduction is possible in December, with additional cuts likely in 2025. While any future reductions from the Fed will push CD rates lower, a CD rate you secure now will be yours to enjoy until it matures.
It's true that CD rates are no longer at their peak. But despite the pullback, CDs are still paying historically high returns. Last October saw the best CD rates push above 6%, while today the leading rate is down to 5.50%. Still, eight banks and credit unions continue to offer rates of 5.00% or better.
Compare that to early 2022, before the Federal Reserve embarked on its fast-and-furious rate-hike campaign. The most you could earn from the very best CDs in the country ranged from just 0.50% to 1.70% APY, depending on the term.
Jumbo CDs require much larger deposits, but they don't always offer higher rates. Right now, the best jumbo CDs lead in just one of the eight terms we track. Among 2-year CDs, you can earn a higher 4.35% with a jumbo CD from Quorum Federal Credit Union than you can with the top standard rate of 4.30%.
| CD Term | Today's Top National Bank Rate | Today's Top National Credit Union Rate | Today's Top National Jumbo Rate |
| 3 months | 4.95% | 5.00%* | 4.11% |
| 6 months | 5.25% | 5.50%* | 5.00% |
| 1 year | 4.60% | 5.00%* | 4.85% |
| 18 months | 4.35% | 4.65%* | 4.60% |
| 2 years | 4.29% | 4.30% | 4.35%* |
| 3 years | 4.10% | 4.35%* | 4.15% |
| 4 years | 4.00% | 4.30%* | 4.07% |
| 5 years | 4.00% | 4.30%* | 4.00% |
About two weeks ago, the Federal Reserve announced another cut to the federal funds rate, reducing it by 0.25 percentage points. That follows a bolder 0.50-point decrease in September, which kicked off the central bank's new phase of rate reductions.
All of this represents a pivot from the Fed's historic 2022-2023 rate-hike campaign, in which the committee aggressively raised interest rates to combat decades-high inflation. At its 2023 peak, the federal funds rate climbed to its highest level since 2001—and remained there for 14 months.
Now that inflation has cooled, and if the trend continues, it's expected the Fed will continue to lower interest rates. According to the CME Group's FedWatch Tool, more than 70% of interest rate traders predict the central bank will reduce rates by another 0.25 percentage points at either the December or January meetings.
Fed rate moves are significant to savers, as reductions to the fed funds rate push down what banks and credit unions are willing to pay consumers for their deposits. As a result, it currently seems likely that CD rates, as well as savings account rates, are in for a long and slow decline into 2025—and perhaps beyond.
Time will tell what exactly happens to the federal funds rate in the coming months and year. But with a couple of Fed rate cuts already in the books, the CD rates available now are probably the best you'll see for some time. So locking in as soon as possible is a smart financial move.
We update these rankings every business day to give you the best deposit rates available:
Best 3-Month CD Rates
Best 6-Month CD Rates
Best 1-Year CD Rates
Best 18-Month CD Rates
Best 2-Year CD Rates
Best 3-Year CD Rates
Best 4-year CD Rates
Best 5-Year CD Rates
Best High-Yield Savings Accounts
Best Money Market Accounts
Note that the "top rates" quoted here are the highest nationally available rates Investopedia has identified in its daily rate research on hundreds of banks and credit unions. This is much different than the national average, which includes all banks offering a CD with that term, including many large banks that pay a pittance in interest. Thus, the national averages are always quite low, while the top rates you can unearth by shopping around are often 5, 10, or even 15 times higher.
Every business day, Investopedia tracks the rate data of more than 200 banks and credit unions that offer CDs to customers nationwide and determines daily rankings of the top-paying certificates in every major term. To qualify for our lists, the institution must be federally insured (FDIC for banks, NCUA for credit unions), the CD's minimum initial deposit must not exceed $25,000, and any specified maximum deposit cannot be under $5,000.
Banks must be available in at least 40 states. And while some credit unions require you to donate to a specific charity or association to become a member if you don't meet other eligibility criteria (e.g., you don't live in a certain area or work in a certain kind of job), we exclude credit unions whose donation requirement is $40 or more. For more about how we choose the best rates, read our full methodology.
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