Top CD Rates Today, April 4

CD shoppers looking for a great return on CDs that lock up their money for less than a year got a bit of good news today. There are now three financial institutions that offer 5.25% APY on 7- to 9-month terms. That’s the same rate you can get on three CDs in our 18-month category, but you can obviously get out of them much sooner.

Otherwise, top rates stayed the same. The best annual percentage yield (APY) you can get on any CD today is still 5.50%, which you’ll find at only one nationally-available credit union. This rate applies to CDs of 24 to 35 months (you can choose the term).

CD rates have risen dramatically throughout 2022 and 2023. But the past several days have seen a few rate drops. And with the chance that the Federal Reserve will slow or stop rate hikes this year, we may see less movement, if not more rate drops. Locking in a good CD rate now could pay off in a few months or years from now.

The most you can earn on any CD term is 5.50% APY, and it’s been that way since March 3. That’s available from Credit Human, a nationwide credit union. It applies to terms between 24 and 35 months (your choice).

Most of the top CD rates are offered by credit unions. We only include credit unions in our analysis that allow anyone to join, though that usually involves joining a nonprofit organization for a small fee.

If you’re specifically looking for a bank, though, you can still get that very good 5.25% APY on 9-month and 15-month CDs. Jumbo CDs, which require $50,000 or more for a minimum deposit, can also earn up to 5.25% on multiple terms, but you can always find a better rate in a CD that doesn’t market itself as jumbo (but will still accept very large deposits).

Will CD Rates Rise or Fall?

CD rates climbed in 2022 as a result of the Federal Reserve raising the federal funds rate to combat inflation. The Fed’s actions this year have pushed rates to heights not seen in years. The Fed has already raised the fed funds rate twice this year, both times by 0.25%. While still an increase, the hikes were lower than last year when inflation was higher than it is now.

Below you can see how CD rates have trended over the last few years. The points on the graph indicate the highest CD rate offered for that term as of Monday of that week.

The Fed’s next meeting is in May, and if it decides to put a pause on rate hikes, we could see these lines on the graph stay the same for some time, or begin to drop.

Rate Collection Methodology Disclosure

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), and the CD’s minimum initial deposit must not exceed $25,000.

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.