Skip to Main Content

Best 3-year CD rates for May 2026

Written by
Karen Bennett
Edited by
Pippin Wilbers
Reviewed by
Robert R. Johnson
Verified Badge IconExpert verified

Rates updated between May 7 and May 13

At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. Though our partners compensate us from links on this page, we maintain editorial integrity, and partners don't influence our product evaluations. Here's how we make money and here is our advertiser disclosure.

A certificate of deposit typically pays a higher yield the longer its term, which can vary from weeks to years. A three-year CD, for example, frequently pays a higher rate than a three-month CD, making it a good investment for mid-term financial obligations, such as a down payment on a car.

PERSONALIZE YOUR SEARCH

How Bankrate works

Woman looking for rates
01

Compare rates

See savings and CD rates from different banks and credit unions in one place, so you can quickly compare your options.

02

Choose an account

Check the rate, terms and requirements, then pick the account that helps your savings grow faster.

03

Continue to the bank

Click through to the bank or credit union to open your account and start earning interest.

See how we pick our picks: Read our best 4-year CD rates research methodology

Table of contents

Bankrate's picks for best 3-year CD rates

BTG Pactual Bank_logo

BTG Pactual Bank

Rating: 4.1 stars out of 5
4.1 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    4.13%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $500

  • Term

    3 years

Why BTG Pactual Bank?

BTG Pactual (formerly M.Y. Safra Bank) offers CD savers flexibility, with CDs terms ranging from three months to five years. The minimum opening deposit is relatively low $500. You need to be really sure you're ready to lock up your money in a three-year CD at this bank though: the penalty for early withdrawals at BTG Pactual for CDs that are held longer than 90 days is all the interest earned.

Sallie Mae_logo

Sallie Mae

Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5
4.2 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    3.95%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $2,500

  • Term

    3 years

Why Sallie Mae?

Sallie Mae Bank offers 11 terms of CDs, as well as a savings account and a money market account. All of these products offer competitive yields. You'll need $2,500 to open a CD — more than some on the list, but it could be worth it for the high yield. If you withdraw your principal from the three-year CD early, you'll need to pay a fee of 180 days' worth of interest on the amount withdrawn — a fairly standard fee.

Bread Savings_logo

Bread Savings

Rating: 4.1 stars out of 5
4.1 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    3.85%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $1,500

  • Term

    3 years

Why Bread Savings?

Bread Savings is an online bank that offers a high-yield savings account and nine terms of CDs ranging from three months to five years, all with competitive APYs. Interest is compounded daily, which helps your savings grow faster. The early withdrawal penalty on a three-year CD is pretty typical: you'll pay 180 days' worth of simple interest.

Popular Direct_logo

Popular Direct

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
3.5 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    3.85%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $10,000

  • Term

    3 years

Why Popular Direct?

Popular Direct CDs require a minimum $10,000 deposit — the largest on this list. The bank offers eight CDs in terms ranging from three months to five years. All the CDs earn competitive rates. But the early withdrawal penalty here is on the steeper side for a three-year CD: 365 days' worth of simple interest. You can find banks that will charge half that, or even less.

First National Bank of America_logo

First National Bank of America

Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5
4.3 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    3.80%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $1,000

  • Term

    3 years

Why First National Bank of America?

First National Bank of America offers competitive CD rates on terms ranging from three months to 10 years — making it an appealing option for building a CD ladder. A minimum deposit amount of $1,000 is required. But the early withdrawal penalty for CDs between 24 and 47 months is 360 days of interest, which is on the steeper side.

E*TRADE_logo

E*TRADE

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
4.5 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    3.75%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $0

  • Term

    3 years

Why E*TRADE?

E*Trade's seven CD rates — from six months to five years — consistently offer competitive rates with no minimum deposit. Interest compounds daily, helping grow your investment faster. You have 10 days to fund your account after opening and, if rates have changed, you'll get the higher rate. If you need to withdraw early, you'll pay 270 days' worth of simple interest on the three-year term. That's higher than some competitors, but not terrible.

TAB Bank_logo

TAB Bank

Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    3.75%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $1,000

  • Term

    3 years

Why TAB Bank?

TAB (Transportation Alliance Bank) offers CDs in six terms, from 12 months to five years, and all the CDs have competitive rates. Plus, the early withdrawal penalty on a three-year CD isn't as high as it is at other banks: you'll pay 180 days' worth of interest for taking out your money early. The bank doesn’t offer any specialty CDs, such as no-penalty CDs, but it does offer strong checking and high-yield savings accounts, both with high APYs.

Colorado Federal Savings Bank_logo

Colorado Federal Savings Bank

Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5
4.2 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    3.75%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $5,000

  • Term

    3 years

Why Colorado Federal Savings Bank?

Colorado Federal Savings Bank offers solid rates across all seven of its CD terms, including the three-year CD. The early withdrawal penalty is six months' worth of interest, comparable to many in the industry. If that's too much to swallow, it also offers a no-penalty 11-month CD at an unusually good APY.

Marcus by Goldman Sachs_logo

Marcus by Goldman Sachs

Rating: 4.8 stars out of 5
4.8 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    3.70%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $500

  • Term

    3 years

Why Marcus by Goldman Sachs?

Marcus by Goldman Sachs is an online bank known for offering CDs and a savings account. Not many banks can match the number of CDs that Marcus offers. It has nine terms of regular CDs — ranging from six months to six years — three no-penalty CDs and a rate bump CD. All of these CDs range from having strong to competitive rates, and all have a $500 minimum deposit requirement. You'll pay a middle-of-the-road early withdrawal fee if you take all your money out early of the three-year CD — 180 days' worth of interest.

Limelight Bank_logo

Limelight Bank

Rating: 4.1 stars out of 5
4.1 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    3.65%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $1,000

  • Term

    3 years

Why Limelight Bank?

Limelight Bank, a division of Capital Community Bank, offers four CD terms ranging from six months to three years. A minimum deposit of $1,000 is required. If you withdraw early, you'll pay a fairly typical fee of 180 days' interest on the withdrawn amount. While Limelight doesn't offer any specialty CDs, it does provide a high-yield savings account with an excellent APY.

Synchrony Bank_logo

Synchrony Bank

Rating: 4.8 stars out of 5
4.8 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    3.60%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $0

  • Term

    3 years

Why Synchrony Bank?

Synchrony Bank offers CDs across a whopping 14 terms, from three months to five years, many of which are bunched up in the one- to two-year range. Some of these CDs, like the three-year CD, offer stellar rates. Others are decent but not the most competitive. The early withdrawal penalty on the three-year CD isn't too bad: 180 days' worth of simple interest. Synchrony also offers an 11-month no-penalty CD — though it earns very little interest — and a two-year bump-up CD that has a decent rate, though the standard two-year CD earns more.

Alliant Credit Union_logo

Alliant Credit Union

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
4.5 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    3.60%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $1,000

  • Term

    3 years

Why Alliant Credit Union?

Anyone can become an Alliant member and open a CD the same day. It offers eight terms of CDs between three months and five years, plus jumbo CDs for each term — some with slightly higher APYs. The minimum deposit requirement is a reasonable $1,000, and if you withdraw early, you'll pay 180 days' worth of interest as a penalty. It also offers IRA CDs, a high-yield savings account and a high-yield checking account.

Three-year CD rate news

Annual percentage yields (APYs) on three-year CDs are holding steady. CD rates trends tend to mirror the federal funds rate: they drop when the Federal Reserve lowers this index rate, and rise when the Fed ups it. 

The Federal Reserve has held rates steady at its first three meetings of 2026, so rates on CDs and other deposit products aren't moving much. 

The experts at CME FedWatch overwhelmingly predict that the Federal Reserve will maintain the current rate in June.

How to find the best 3-year CD rates

  1. Know the market

    Don't settle for an average or below-average yield. According to Bankrate's national survey of lenders, the national average yield on a three-year CD is just 1.65% as of Thursday, May 14, 2026. You can do better.

  2. Look online

    Search for the best three-year CD rates online — starting with this page — and compare your options at online banks and credit unions. If you’re looking for a higher yield, consider some of the lesser-known institutions willing to offer good interest rates to attract depositors.

  3. Check regional banks and credit unions

    We only feature accounts that can be opened by anyone from anywhere in the country. You might have a local option that beats these rates. For example, as of writing, America First Credit Union has a better APY than most picks on this page — but you only qualify for membership if you live in specific regions of certain Western states.

Who is a 3-year CD good for?

Opening a three-year CD might make sense for people who don’t need access to their money for at least three years. As a result, these accounts are ideal for midterm goals, like setting aside money for a home down payment. Getting a three-year CD could also be a good idea if you’re planning to build a CD ladder.

Because your interest rate is locked in, you don’t have to worry about your yield decreasing for the duration of your CD, like you would with a regular savings account.

Learn more: When is an early withdrawal penalty worth it?

Alternatives to a 3-year CD

Next steps

Open a CD

You can do it online in under an hour.

Caret Right Icon

Calculate your savings

How much could you earn in three years?

Caret Right Icon

Build a CD ladder

Open multiple CDs of different terms to save.

Caret Right Icon

Save for a down payment

The right strategy makes it easier.

Caret Right Icon

Meet the Bankrate Experts

Karen Bennett
Written by
Karen Bennett Karen Bennett Arrow Right Icon
Consumer Banking Reporter
Read more from Karen
Karen Bennett is a senior consumer banking reporter at Bankrate where she uses her years of banking and personal finance experience to help inform readers about money-related decisions. She’s been a reporter at Bankrate since 2021.
Ribbon Icon
Expertise
  • Consumer banking
  • Savings accounts
Pippin Wilbers
Edited by
Pippin Wilbers
Editor 2
Robert R. Johnson
Reviewed by
Robert R. Johnson
Professor of finance, Creighton University

Research methodology

Bankrate researches over 100 banks and credit unions, including some of the largest financial institutions, online-only banks, regional banks and credit unions with both open and restrictive membership policies.

To find the best three-year CD rates, we regularly survey three-year CD offerings from the banks and credit unions that continually offer the most competitive rates.

The banks and credit unions on this page are selected based on their current APY for a three-year CD and their minimum deposit requirements. Only banks and credit unions with broadly available CDs made the list. Learn more about how we choose the best banking products and our methodology for reviewing banks.