16 Best 3-Year CD Rates for September 2024
Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
ALSO CONSIDER: Best online savings || Best checking || Best high-interest accounts
The best three-year CD rates can give a boost to short-term savings. The rates featured on this page are much higher than the national average rate of 1.43% APY for three-year CDs. See our picks below.
Why trust NerdWallet
Also scroll down to see "no-penalty" CDs that allow you to withdraw your money whenever you want.
ALSO CONSIDER: Best online savings || Best checking || Best high-interest accounts
The best three-year CD rates can give a boost to short-term savings. The rates featured on this page are much higher than the national average rate of 1.43% APY for three-year CDs. See our picks below.
Why trust NerdWallet
Also scroll down to see "no-penalty" CDs that allow you to withdraw your money whenever you want.
Some banks have started lowering CD yields, though overall rates remain high. With a CD, you can lock in high rates while they’re still around.
Best 3-Year CD Rates
| Bank/institution | NerdWallet rating | Minimum deposit | APY | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Alliant Credit Union Certificate Learn more at Alliant Credit Union, Federally insured by NCUA | $1,000 Federally insured by NCUA | APY 4.05% | Learn more at Alliant Credit Union, Federally insured by NCUA | |
 Bread Savings™️ CD Learn more at Bread Savings, Member FDIC | $1,500 Member FDIC | APY 3.90% | Learn more at Bread Savings, Member FDIC | |
 Synchrony Bank CD | $0 Member FDIC | APY 4.15% | Read review | |
 Marcus by Goldman Sachs High-Yield CD | $500 Member FDIC | APY 4.15% | Read review | |
 Popular Direct CD | $10,000 Member FDIC | APY 4.05% | Read review | |
 Quontic Bank CD | $500 Member FDIC | APY 3.75% | Read review | |
 Self-Help Credit Union Term Certificate | $500 Federally insured by NCUA | APY 3.87% | Read review | |
 BMO Alto Certificate of Deposit | $0 Deposits are FDIC Insured | APY 4.00% | Read review | |
 LendingClub CD | $2,500 Member FDIC | APY 4.30% | Read review | |
 TAB Bank CD | $1,000 Member FDIC | APY 4.00% | Read review | |
 EverBank Performance℠ CD | $1,000 Member FDIC | APY 3.50% | Read review | |
 Connexus Credit Union Certificate | $5,000 Federally insured by NCUA | APY 4.11% | Read review | |
 Andrews Federal Credit Union Fixed Rate Share Certificates | $1,000 Federally insured by NCUA | APY 4.10% | Read review | |
 Sallie Mae Bank CD | $2,500 Member FDIC | APY 4.00% | Read review | |
 NASA Federal Credit Union Share Certificate | $1,000 Federally insured by NCUA | APY 4.00% | Read review | |
 First Internet Bank CD | $1,000 Member FDIC | APY 4.19% | Read review |
$1,000
Federally insured by NCUA
4.05%
Why We Like It
The online-focused credit union has a lower opening minimum than some competitors.
$1,500
Member FDIC
3.90%
Why We Like It
Bread Savings offers an attractive rate on its CD, but there's a somewhat high minimum.
$500
Member FDIC
3.75%
Why We Like It
Quontic Bank is a digital bank with a low minimum and solid rate on its three-year CD.
$500
Federally insured by NCUA
3.87%
Why We Like It
Self-Help Credit Union offers membership to anyone nationwide with a one-time $5 fee. Its three-year Term Certificate has a competitive yield and a low opening minimum of $500.
$0
Deposits are FDIC Insured
4.00%
Why We Like It
BMO Alto is the online-only division of BMO with a competitive three-year CD rate and no minimum deposit requirement.
$2,500
Member FDIC
4.30%
Why We Like It
LendingClub Bank is an online financial institution with a solid rate and somewhat high minimum on its three-year CD rate.
$1,000
Member FDIC
4.00%
Why We Like It
TAB Bank, an online bank headquartered in Ogden, Utah, offers a competitive three-year rate and relatively low minimum to open.
$1,000
Member FDIC
3.50%
Why We Like It
EverBank has a somewhat low minimum of $1,000 and a wide range of high-yield CDs for various terms, including its three-year CD.
$5,000
Federally insured by NCUA
4.11%
Why We Like It
Connexus Credit Union has a solid rate on its three-year share certificate, the CD equivalent for a credit union, though the opening minimum of $5,000 is high.
$1,000
Federally insured by NCUA
4.10%
Why We Like It
Andrews Federal Credit Union focuses on serving military communities, but its membership is available to anyone nationwide. Andrews’s share certificates have solid rates and a somewhat low minimum of $1,000.
$2,500
Member FDIC
4.00%
Why We Like It
Sallie Mae offers solid rates, including on its three-year term. The minimum of $2,500 to open is somewhat hefty, though.
$1,000
Federally insured by NCUA
4.00%
Why We Like It
NASA Federal Credit Union focuses on NASA employees but lets anyone join if they agree to a free membership to the National Space Society. The credit union’s standard three-year share certificate has a solid yield and a somewhat low opening minimum of $1,000.
$1,000
Member FDIC
4.19%
Why We Like It
First Internet Bank, one of the oldest online banks, has a solid rate for its three-year CD term and a somewhat low minimum deposit of $1,000.
Want to compare more options? Here are our other top picks:
» Want to see more options? Check out our list of the best CD rates overall
Best 3-year CD rates for September 2024
Bread Savings: 3.90% APY.
Alliant Credit Union: 4.05% APY.
Popular Direct: 4.05% APY.
BMO Alto: 4.00% APY.
Synchrony Bank: 4.15% APY.
Marcus by Goldman Sachs: 4.15% APY.
Quontic Bank: 3.75% APY.
Sallie Mae Bank: 4.00% APY.
Andrews Federal Credit Union: 4.10% APY.
Self-Help Credit Union: 3.87% APY.
LendingClub Bank: 4.30% APY.
TAB Bank: 4.00% APY.
EverBank: 3.50% APY.
Connexus Credit Union: 4.11% APY.
NASA Federal Credit Union: 4.00% APY.
First Internet Bank: 4.19% APY.
3-year CD trends
NerdWallet picks’ average:
4.08% APY
National average:
1.43%
Another option: No-penalty CDs
When you withdraw your money from a CD before the term expires, you generally pay a penalty of at least several months’ of interest earned.
Some providers, however, allow you to withdraw your money before the term expires, with no penalty. Keep in mind that rates may be a little lower for these no-penalty CDs.
The following four banks offer no-penalty CDs (click each link to read the full review):
Ally Bank® (Member FDIC).
See CD rates by term and type
Compare the best rates for various CD terms and types:
How do CDs work?
Learn more about choosing CDs, understanding CD rates, and opening and closing CDs.
Choosing CDs:
Last updated on August 29, 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 90 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, 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.
To recap our selections...
NerdWallet's Best 3-Year CD Rates for September 2024
- Alliant Credit Union Certificate: 4.05% APY
- Bread Savings™️ CD: 3.90% APY
- Synchrony Bank CD: 4.15% APY
- Marcus by Goldman Sachs High-Yield CD: 4.15% APY
- Popular Direct CD: 4.05% APY
- Quontic Bank CD: 3.75% APY
- Self-Help Credit Union Term Certificate: 3.87% APY
- BMO Alto Certificate of Deposit: 4.00% APY
- LendingClub CD: 4.30% APY
- TAB Bank CD: 4.00% APY
- EverBank Performance℠ CD: 3.50% APY
- Connexus Credit Union Certificate: 4.11% APY
- Andrews Federal Credit Union Fixed Rate Share Certificates: 4.10% APY
- Sallie Mae Bank CD: 4.00% APY
- NASA Federal Credit Union Share Certificate: 4.00% APY
- First Internet Bank CD: 4.19% APY
Frequently asked questions
Certificates of deposit, or CDs, are savings accounts in which cash is locked away for a predetermined period of time, generally three months to five years.
CD rates are shown as an annual percentage yield, or APY. That number shows how much the CD earns in one year and includes compound interest. The higher the APY, the more your money will grow. Long-term CDs usually earn the highest rates. See this month’s top 3-year CD rates.
That depends on how much risk you're willing to take. Investment accounts can have higher returns than CDs, but CDs offer guaranteed returns in the form of fixed interest rates. And they're typically federally insured for up to $250,000. Brokerage accounts can be riskier since you aren’t protected against losses. (For more information, see our list of the best online brokers.)
Ideally, you'll take out a three-year, or 36-month, CD only if you're certain that you won’t need that money before the term ends. Current CD rates tend to be higher than savings account rates. However, if you want to keep your funds more accessible, a high-yield online savings account is a better choice. (Check out our list of the best online savings accounts.)
Although most CDs don't have monthly fees, banks typically charge early withdrawal penalties if you remove money before the CD's expiration date. The penalty is often several months' worth of interest. (If you're worried about losing access to your money for too long, consider shorter terms such as six-month CDs.)
» See what CDs can earn with our CD calculator
