17 Best 1-Year CD Rates for December 2024 (Up to 4.55%)
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Strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage to help you choose the financial accounts that work best for you. See our criteria for evaluating banks and credit unions.
More than 100 financial institutions surveyed by our team of experts.
More than 50 data points considered for each bank and credit union to be eligible for our lists. For this CD list, three data points were considered per institution.
The best one-year CD rates can help boost some of your short-term savings. These rates tend to be more than double the national average of 1.84% for one-year certificates of deposit.
APY research methodology:Â Annual percentage yields, meaning the rates of return, are current on this page as of the publication date. Each weekday, we review account rates to make sure we have the most up-to-date APYs.
- See the full list at a glance
Summary of best 1-year CD rates
Our list features banks and credit unions that NerdWallet has reviewed with nationally available one-year CD rates. Regular CD rates were considered, not promotional or relationship-based rates.
Newtek Bank: 4.55% APY.
TAB Bank: 4.52% APY.
Popular Direct: 4.50% APY.
First Internet Bank: 4.42% APY.
CIBC Agility™: 4.31% APY.
NASA Federal Credit Union: 4.30% APY.
Bread Savings™️: 4.30% APY.
Andrews Federal Credit Union: 4.25% APY.
Citizens: 4.25% APY.
E*TRADE: 4.25% APY.
Bank5 Connect: 4.25% APY.
Bask Bank: 4.25% APY.
Barclays: 4.25% APY.
CFG Bank: 4.25% APY.
BMO Alto: 4.20% APY.
Live Oak Bank: 4.20% APY.
Alliant Credit Union: 4.10% APY.
Nerdy Tip
The Fed lowered its benchmark rate multiple times in the second half of 2024. As a result, banks and credit unions have started lowering CD rates. With a CD, you can lock in high rates while they’re still around.
Best 1-Year CD Rates for December 2024 (Up to 4.55%)
| Bank/institution | NerdWallet rating | Minimum deposit | APY | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
5.0/5 | $0 Deposits are FDIC Insured | APY 4.20% | ||
4.7/5 | $1,000 Federally insured by NCUA | APY 4.10% | Learn more at Alliant Credit Union, Federally insured by NCUA | |
4.4/5 | $1,500 Member FDIC | APY 4.30% | ||
2.6/5 | $1,000 Member FDIC | APY 4.31% | ||
2.6/5 | $1,000 Member FDIC | APY 4.25% | ||
4.5/5 | $1,000 Member FDIC | APY 4.52% | ||
4.1/5 | $5,000 Member FDIC | APY 4.25% | ||
5.0/5 | $1,000 Member FDIC | APY 4.42% | ||
3.1/5 | $2,500 Member FDIC | APY 4.20% | ||
5.0/5 | $1,000 Federally insured by NCUA | APY 4.30% | ||
5.0/5 | $1,000 Federally insured by NCUA | APY 4.25% | ||
4.6/5 | $0 Member FDIC | APY 4.25% | ||
3.1/5 | $500 Member FDIC | APY 4.25% | ||
4.2/5 | $0 Member FDIC | APY 4.25% | Learn more at Barclays, Member FDIC | |
5.0/5 | $500 | APY 4.25% | ||
4.4/5 | $2,500 Member FDIC | APY 4.55% | ||
4.2/5 | $10,000 Member FDIC | APY 4.50% |
Our pick for
1-Year CD Rates
Minimum deposit
$0
Deposits are FDIC Insured
APY
4.20%
Minimum deposit
$1,000
Federally insured by NCUA
APY
4.10%
Minimum deposit
$1,500
Member FDIC
APY
4.30%
Minimum deposit
$1,000
Member FDIC
APY
4.31%
Minimum deposit
$1,000
Member FDIC
APY
4.25%
Minimum deposit
$1,000
Member FDIC
APY
4.52%
Minimum deposit
$5,000
Member FDIC
APY
4.25%
Minimum deposit
$1,000
Member FDIC
APY
4.42%
Minimum deposit
$2,500
Member FDIC
APY
4.20%
Minimum deposit
$1,000
Federally insured by NCUA
APY
4.30%
Minimum deposit
$1,000
Federally insured by NCUA
APY
4.25%
Minimum deposit
$0
Member FDIC
APY
4.25%
Minimum deposit
$500
Member FDIC
APY
4.25%
Minimum deposit
$0
Member FDIC
APY
4.25%
Minimum deposit
$500
APY
4.25%
Minimum deposit
$2,500
Member FDIC
APY
4.55%
Minimum deposit
$10,000
Member FDIC
APY
4.50%
đź’¬ Our Nerds say:
“One-year CDs are unusually competitive in 2024. Their best rates surpass three- and five-year CD rates. And, compared to high-yield savings accounts, one-year rates remain higher.
“Because of one-year CDs’ popularity, you can be more choosy about the institution you want to leave your money with. Personally, I like to have a high-yield savings account at the same place I have a CD to make the transfer out of the CD easy once the CD matures.”
— Spencer Tierney,Â
NerdWallet senior writer covering consumer banking
What is a one-year CD?
A one-year CD is a type of savings account that keeps a fixed sum inaccessible for 12 months and locks in the APY (your rate of return). Money in a CD is federally insured just like it is in other bank accounts. If you pull the money out early, you'll typically have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. A regular savings account, on the other hand, has a variable rate, meaning the interest rate can change over time but you can pull your money out at any time.
Best 1-year CD rates for December 2024
BMO Alto: 4.20% APY, no minimum to open.
Bread Savings: 4.30% APY, $1,500 minimum to open.
Bask Bank: 4.25% APY, $1,000 minimum to open.
TAB Bank: 4.52% APY, $1,000 minimum to open.
Alliant Credit Union: 4.10% APY, $1,000 minimum deposit.
Citizens: 4.25% APY, $5,000 minimum deposit.
CIBC U.S.: 4.31% APY, $1,000 minimum deposit.
First Internet Bank: 4.42% APY, $1,000 minimum deposit.
Live Oak Bank: 4.20% APY, $2,500 minimum deposit.
NASA Federal Credit Union: 4.30% APY, $1,000 minimum deposit.
Andrews Federal Credit Union: 4.25% APY, $1,000 minimum deposit.
E*TRADE: 4.25% APY, no minimum deposit.
Bank5 Connect: 4.25% APY, $500 minimum deposit.
Newtek Bank: 4.55% APY, $2,500 minimum deposit.
Barclays: 4.25% APY, no minimum deposit.
CFG Bank: 4.25% APY, $500 minimum deposit.
Popular Direct: 4.50% APY, $10,000 minimum deposit.
1-year CD trends
NerdWallet picks’ average:
4.31% APY
National average:
1.84%
How to find the best one-year CD for you
Compare these four factors:
APY: This is the annual percentage yield, which is your rate of return that includes having interest compounded. Try out different rates on our CD calculator.
Minimum deposit: This is the lowest amount you need to open a CD, but you generally don’t want to use the minimum as a guide for the right amount to save in a CD. Learn more about how much money to put into CDs.
Early withdrawal penalty: It’s good to know the cost of the worst-case scenario where you break the seal on your CD early. See what typical penalties cost.
What else you want from that institution: Do you want a checking or savings account at the same place you get a CD? Not all banks offer all these types of accounts. Are you focusing on CDs where you bank or where you’re an investor? CDs at banks (and share certificates at credit unions) can be easier to manage, unless you’re familiar with the ins and outs of a brokerage account and want brokered CDs.
Why have one-year CDs been so high?
One-year CD rates have been high largely thanks to two big reasons:
The Fed rate has remained high and mostly unmoving for the past year, but in September the Fed made its first rate cut since March 2020. This rate plays a big role in how banks decide to adjust their CD rates (and how credit unions do the same for their share certificates). We’ll likely see CD rates drop more steadily for the rest of the year.
CD rates can reflect banks’ attitudes about where rates are headed. In the current rate environment, one-year CD rates are generally higher than longer-term rates, such as for three or five years. This shows how banks believe rates will fall sooner than later. Learn more about the factors that impact bank account rates in mid-2024.
Alternatives to one-year CDs
Here’s a list of other short-term savings options:
High-yield savings accounts: Solid returns above 4%, federally insured bank accounts. Rates can change at any time, though.
Other short-term high-yield CDs: The best three-month and six-month CDs have strong rates and can help you build a short CD ladder, which can be made of CDs with terms of three months, six months, nine months and one year. For this short ladder, a CD matures every three months, at which time you can either cash out or reinvest in a new one-year CD as the longest term of the ladder.
No-penalty CDs: These specialty CDs usually have terms around one year and let you withdraw the full amount early at no cost. Rates can be lower than high-yield CDs, though.
See more short-term investment options.
Last updated on December 12, 2024
Methodology
On a monthly basis, we compare rates at over 40 financial institutions, pulled from our full list, that we’ve seen to be consistently competitive. On a quarterly basis, we analyzed our full list, excluding banks that offered brokered CDs, since those accounts work differently from standard bank CDs. Higher rates might be available elsewhere.
We took a close look at over 100 financial institutions and financial service providers, including the largest U.S. banks based on assets, internet search traffic and other factors; the nation’s largest credit unions, based on assets and membership; and other notable and/or emerging players in the industry. We rated them on criteria including annual percentage yields, minimum balances, fees, digital experience and more.
Financial institutions and providers surveyed are: Affirm, All America Bank, Alliant Credit Union, Ally Bank, Amalgamated Bank, America First Credit Union, American Express National Bank, Andrews Federal Credit Union, Associated Bank, Axos Bank, Bank of America, Bank5 Connect, Barclays, Bask Bank, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, BMO, BMO Alto, Boeing Employees Credit Union, Bread Savings, BrioDirect, Capital One, Carver Federal Savings Bank, CFG Bank, Charles Schwab Bank, Chase, Chime, CIBC U.S., CIT Bank, Citibank, Citizens, Citizens Bank, City First Bank, Climate First Bank, Commerce Bank, Community First Credit Union of Florida, ConnectOne Bank, Connexus Credit Union, Consumers Credit Union, Current, Customers Bank, Delta Community Credit Union, Discover® Bank, E*TRADE, EverBank (formerly TIAA Bank), Fifth Third Bank, First Foundation, First Internet Bank, First National Bank, First Tech Federal Credit Union, Flagstar Bank, FNBO Direct, Forbright Bank, Global Credit Union, GO2bank, Golden 1 Credit Union, Greenwood, Hope Credit Union, Huntington Bank, Industrial Bank, Ivy Bank, Jenius Bank, KeyBank, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Laurel Road Bank, LendingClub Bank, Liberty Bank, Live Oak Bank, M&T Bank, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, My Banking Direct, NASA Federal Credit Union, Navy Federal Credit Union, NBKC, Newtek Bank, One, OneUnited Bank, Pentagon Federal Credit Union, PNC, Poppy Bank, Popular Direct, Quontic Bank, Regions Bank, Revolut, Salem Five Direct, Sallie Mae Bank, Santander Bank, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, Security Service Federal Credit Union, Securityplus Federal Credit Union, Self-Help Credit Union, Service Credit Union, SoFi, State Employees’ Credit Union of North Carolina, Suncoast Credit Union, Synchrony Bank, TAB Bank, TD Bank, Truist Bank, U.S. Bank, UFB Direct, Upgrade, USAA Bank, Varo, Vio Bank, Wells Fargo, Western Alliance Bank and Zynlo Bank.
NerdWallet's Best 1-Year CD Rates for December 2024 (Up to 4.55%)
- BMO Alto Certificate of Deposit: Best for 1-Year CD Rates, 4.20% APY
- Alliant Credit Union Certificate: Best for 1-Year CD Rates, 4.10% APY
- Bread Savings™️ CD: Best for 1-Year CD Rates, 4.30% APY
- CIBC Agility™ Online CD: Best for 1-Year CD Rates, 4.31% APY
- Bask Bank CD: Best for 1-Year CD Rates, 4.25% APY
- TAB Bank CD: Best for 1-Year CD Rates, 4.52% APY
- Citizens Online CD: Best for 1-Year CD Rates, 4.25% APY
- First Internet Bank CD: Best for 1-Year CD Rates, 4.42% APY
- Live Oak Bank Personal CD: Best for 1-Year CD Rates, 4.20% APY
- NASA Federal Credit Union Share Certificate: Best for 1-Year CD Rates, 4.30% APY
- Andrews Federal Credit Union Fixed Rate Share Certificates: Best for 1-Year CD Rates, 4.25% APY
- E*TRADE CD: Best for 1-Year CD Rates, 4.25% APY
- Bank5 Connect High-Yield CD: Best for 1-Year CD Rates, 4.25% APY
- Barclays Online CD: Best for 1-Year CD Rates, 4.25% APY
- CFG Bank CD: Best for 1-Year CD Rates, 4.25% APY
- Newtek Bank CD: Best for 1-Year CD Rates, 4.55% APY
- Popular Direct CD: Best for 1-Year CD Rates, 4.50% APY
Frequently asked questions
- Which banks have the best 1-year CD rates?
Online banks such as Bread Savings and credit unions such as Service Credit Union tend to have some of the most competitive one-year CD rates.
- When should you get a one-year CD?
You should only get a one-year CD if you know you won’t need those funds for a year, so as to avoid breaking the seal early and paying a penalty. Beyond that, consider that the fixed rate of a one-year CD can come in handy especially compared to a high-yield savings account during a falling-rate environment.
- Should you consider short-term or long-term CDs?
It depends on your savings goals and how sure you are that you won't need your funds before the CD term expires. If you want to play it safe, go for a shorter CD term or a no-penalty CD.
- How do CD rates work?
CD rates are quoted as an annual percentage yield, or APY, which is how much the account earns in one year including compound interest. Banks generally compound interest monthly or daily. Learn more about APY vs. interest rate.