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Best credit union CD rates for March 2026

Written by
Matthew Goldberg
Edited by
Yuliya Goldshteyn
Reviewed by
Allyson Johnson
Verified Badge IconExpert verified

Updated March 9, 2026

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You can often find highly competitive yields on certificates of deposit (CDs) at credit unions — as good as what you can find at online banks, which tend to pay the highest rates. But you need to read up on a credit union’s membership policies to see if you’re eligible to join and open a CD. Here, you’ll find the top CD rates at credit unions that Bankrate reviews, including some whose membership is open to pretty much anyone.

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Table of contents

Bankrate’s picks for top credit union CD rates

Bankrate only includes credit unions that are insured by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF).

Mountain America Credit Union_logo

Mountain America Credit Union

Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
4.9 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    3.75% – 4.20%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $500

  • Term

    6 months - 5 years

Why Mountain America Credit Union?

Mountain America Credit Union offers competitive yields on all of its CDs, which range from six months to five years. The minimum deposit to open a certificate is $500, which is pretty standard. Or you can open an add-on Growth CD with only $5. They earn the same APY as the standard CDs but require you to add money monthly (at least $10 every month). It’s rare that you can add money to a CD, so this is a great option if you want the guaranteed rate of a CD but don’t have a lot saved up yet. Membership to this credit union is restricted. One way to join is to be a resident of certain Utah counties. For the full list membership eligibility, visit the credit union’s website.

State Employees' Credit Union_logo

State Employees' Credit Union

Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
4.9 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    3.70% – 4.10%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $250

  • Term

    6 months - 5 years

Why State Employees' Credit Union?

State Employees’ Credit Union has attractive rates on many of its share certificates, which range from six months to five years. The minimum to open the certificate is pretty low, at $250 dollars. It doesn’t offer any specialty CDs though. Membership is mostly restricted to employees of the state of North Carolina and their family members but there are a few other ways to join that you can check on the credit union’s website.

America First FCU_logo

America First FCU

Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5.0 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    3.90% – 4.10%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $500

  • Term

    3 months - 5 years

Why America First FCU?

America First Credit Union’s has top yields across the board on its certificates, which range from three months to five years. And there’s a relatively standard minimum opening deposit of $500. You can also open individual retirement account (IRA) CDs and bump-rate CDs, the latter of which have slightly lower rates than their standard CDs. Membership to this credit union is mostly restricted to those who live in Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington. There are a few other ways to join that you can check on the credit union’s website.

SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union_logo

SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
4.5 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    2.95% – 4.00%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $500

  • Term

    1 month - 5 years

Why SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union?

SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union offers tiered rates for their CDs so the more money you put into your CD, the higher the APY. The credit union provides a wide variety of CD terms, from as short as 30 days to as long as five years. Most of the rates, even at the lowest deposit tier, are strong. The field of membership is restricted mostly to employees or those affiliated in certain ways with California schools.

Security Service Federal Credit Union_logo

Security Service Federal Credit Union

Rating: 3.9 stars out of 5
3.9 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    1.40% – 3.90%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $500

  • Term

    3 months - 5 years

Why Security Service Federal Credit Union?

You’ll find a wide range of terms for CDs at Security Service Federal Credit Union. The rates you’ll earn are tiered, based on how much you deposit and may vary by region. The lowest tier requires a $500 minimum deposit. Not all rates are competitive here, but some of the longer terms are. Membership is mostly restricted to residents of Texas, Colorado or Utah and family members. Check the credit union’s website for all membership rules.

Alliant Credit Union_logo

Alliant Credit Union

Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5
4.3 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    3.10% – 3.90%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $1,000

  • Term

    3 months - 5 years

Why Alliant Credit Union?

Alliant Credit Union offers CDs that range from three months to five years, with strong rates across the board. If you’ve got a lot to invest in CDs, you can look into the credit unions’ jumbo CD offerings, which pay higher rates on deposits of $75,000 or more. Anyone can join Alliant Credit Union; membership is not restricted.

Suncoast Credit Union_logo

Suncoast Credit Union

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
4.5 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    3.70% – 3.75%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $500

  • Term

    6 months - 5 years

Why Suncoast Credit Union?

Suncoast Credit Union offers CD terms ranging from six months to five years, all with good rates and only a $500 minimum deposit. If you have $100,000 to deposit, you can get higher yields. Membership is restricted to those who attend school, live, work or worship in a county in Florida that Suncoast Credit Union serves.

Navy Federal Credit Union_logo

Navy Federal Credit Union

Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5
4.2 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    1.35% – 3.75%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $1,000

  • Term

    3 months - 5 years

Why Navy Federal Credit Union?

Navy Federal offers a good variety of share certificates with a minimum deposit of $1,000. You’ll get a slightly higher APY if you deposit $100,000. The credit union also offers what it calls “EasyStart” certificates that you can open with $50, but they pay lower yields than their standard counterparts. Membership at Navy Federal Credit Union is mostly restricted to active duty and veteran members of most military branches and to employees of the Department of Defense. Check the credit union's website for all other eligibility rules.

Quorum Federal Credit Union_logo

Quorum Federal Credit Union

Rating: 3.8 stars out of 5
3.8 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    1.75% – 3.50%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $100

  • Term

    3 months - 5 years

Why Quorum Federal Credit Union?

You can open a certificate at Quorum Federal Credit Union with as little as $100, which is a lower requirement than many of the CDs on this list. The best rates here belong to its longer CD terms, though you earn 0.10% more on deposits of $100,000 or more. The early withdrawal penalty here works differently than at most institutions. Instead of days’ worth of interest, you’ll be charged a percentage of the amount withdrawn. Anyone can join Quorum by becoming a member of the American Consumer Council (ACC), which you can do during the application process for Quorum.

Patelco Credit Union_logo

Patelco Credit Union

Rating: 4 stars out of 5
4.0 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    3.00% – 3.50%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $250

  • Term

    3 months - 5 years

Why Patelco Credit Union?

Patelco Credit Union offers certificates ranging from three months to five years, many of which earn strong rates, especially the longer-term ones. And the minimum to open a certificate is approachable at $250. You can also open all these CDs as IRA certificates. Anyone can join Patelco by becoming a member of the Financial Fitness Association (FFA); Patelco will pay your membership FFA fee for the first year.

First Tech Federal Credit Union_logo

First Tech Federal Credit Union

Rating: 4.1 stars out of 5
4.1 Bankrate CD score

  • Annual percentage yield

    1.35% – 3.50%

  • Min. deposit to open

    $500

  • Term

    6 months - 5 years

Why First Tech Federal Credit Union?

First Tech Federal Credit Union’s CDs come in three varieties: promotional certificates (which require new-to-the-credit-union money); bump-up certificates (which let you add more money to the certificate every year) and standard certificates. All of these come with a 10-day rate guarantee (if the rate goes up 10 days after you open one, you’re eligible for the higher rate). Anyone can join the credit union if they also become a member of one of their affiliated organizations, which also allow anyone to join.

If you don’t see a credit union on this list that you can — or want to — join, don’t despair. There are over 4,500 federally insured credit unions in the U.S. Look around your town and you may find a local credit union that not only pays you a great rate, but also supports your community in meaningful ways.
Bankrate logo Yuliya Goldshteyn, deposits editor

What is a share certificate?

A share certificate is the term credit unions for their version of a certificate of deposit (CD). The main difference is that CDs are products offered by for-profit banks, while share certificates are offered by member-owned, not-for-profit credit unions. “Share certificate” and “credit union CD” are often used interchangeably. 

Also, whereas CDs earn interest, share certificates earn dividends, but the effect for the saver is the same. By looking at annual percentage yields (APYs), consumers can compare interest and dividends on an apples-to-apples basis.

The average one-year CD yield is 1.89 percent APY, according to Bankrate’s survey of institutions.

This chart shows how much interest you would earn for different CD terms.

See more: Bankrate’s picks for the best CD rates
Lightbulb Icon

To join a credit union and open a CD, you’ll likely need to open a savings account first.

Credit unions are technically "owned" by the people who bank with them and to become a member, you must purchase one "share" of the institution. You do this by depositing a small amount, often $1 or $5, into a savings account at the credit union. As long as you keep that money deposited, you remain a part-owner of the credit union.

So if you determine that you fit a credit union’s membership policies and you like its CD offerings, you should also look at the savings account, too. You’ll need to keep the account open for the duration of your membership, though it doesn’t have to become your main savings account if you don’t want it to. 

Why choose a credit union certificate over a bank’s CD?

A credit union's advantages over banks mainly stems from their "not-for-profit" structure. If any of these especially appeal to you, you may want to consider banking with a credit union.

Member ownership: Unlike banks, which are owned by outside shareholders who expect a profit, credit unions are owned by the people who bank there.

Higher rates: Credit unions return their "surplus" (profit) to the owners — you — in the form of higher rates on savings and CDs, lower rates on loans and potentially fewer bank fees (though online banks these days offer accounts with little to no fees too).

Community focus: Most credit unions serve certain counties or states and purposefully invest in their communities, supporting small businesses and community events. For example, the San Diego Credit Union supports over 75 nonprofit organizations in its geographic service region. 

How to find the best CD or share certificate for you

Compare FDIC-insured banks and National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) credit unions to find the best CD for you. 

  • Compare APYs
  • Read Bankrate’s financial institution reviews
  • Choose a minimum opening deposit requirement that works with your savings
  • Understand the early withdrawal penalties
Learn more: Use a CD calculator to see what you can earn

Banks or credit unions: Who offers better rates?

Online-only Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. banks tend to offer higher yields than National Credit Union Administration credit unions for savings accounts — based on the institutions that Bankrate tracks. 

But for one-year CDs, the top online bank and the top credit union have similar APYs.

When comparing average yields across products, credit unions tend to have an edge over traditional banks. However, when looking at the highest-yielding products available nationally, online-only banks most often offer the top rates. It is not solely about yield, however. Regardless of what a single product pays, the financial institution you choose should offer services that fit your financial life.
Bankrate logo Stephen Kates, Bankrate financial analyst

Are share certificates at credit unions safe?

As long as the credit union you’ve chosen is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration Share Insurance Fund, the money you’ve deposited in your share certificate will be safe. In the event that the credit union shuts down, you’ll still walk away with your savings. Just keep in mind that there’s a $250,000 threshold for single ownership accounts. Larger amounts won’t be automatically insured.

Despite the safety of your deposit, keep in mind that with early withdrawal penalties, you may run the risk of losing some of your principal investment. Early withdrawal penalties usually charge you days/months’ worth of the interest (or dividends) earned. If you pull your money out before you’ve had time to earn that amount, the penalty might be taken out of your initial deposit. 

Credit union CD FAQs

Meet our Bankrate experts

Matthew Goldberg
Written by
Matthew Goldberg Matthew Goldberg Arrow Right Icon
Former Senior Consumer Banking Reporter
Read more from Matthew
Matthew Goldberg is an award-winning writer who has been in financial services for more than 14 years. He uses his banking experience to help inform readers as they make important personal finance decisions.
CD Icon
Credentials
  • Property (Colorado)
  • Life (Colorado)
Ribbon Icon
Expertise
  • Consumer banking
  • Savings accounts and CDs
Yuliya Goldshteyn
Edited by
Yuliya Goldshteyn
Editor, Deposits
Allyson Johnson
Reviewed by
Allyson Johnson
Head of investor relations, Gateway Partners

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 CD rates at credit unions, we regularly survey CD offerings from the credit unions we monitor and review.

The credit unions on this page are selected based on their current highest APY for a CD they offer and their minimum deposit requirements. Learn more about how we choose the best banking products and our methodology for reviewing banks.

Clock and dollar bills representing a Certificate of Deposit, with the title Best CD Rates