CD Rates in Georgia for September 2026
Updated September 20, 2026
Written by
- • Consumer banking
- • Savings accounts
Edited by
- • Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI®)
- • Personal finance
- • Savings accounts
Georgia savers looking to maximize their returns are in luck — rates on certificates of deposit (CD) are still elevated and are a great way to earn a guaranteed return on your money.
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Not exhaustive. We survey 850+ institutions to ensure the offers you’re comparing are highly competitive. That said, Bankrate doesn’t display every financial institution or available financial product.
How to compare the best CD rates in Georgia
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The term: When selecting a CD term, consider your financial goals and how long you can comfortably keep your money locked away. Shorter-term CDs offer flexibility but longer-term CDs offer bigger gains.
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The yield: The annual percentage yield (APY) is how much interest you’ll earn on your CD over the course of the term. The higher the yield, the more you’ll earn. You’ll often find the highest yields at online banks or credit unions.
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The minimum deposit: Consider the minimum opening deposit when choosing your CD, especially if you want to open multiple CDs or make a CD ladder. It’s typical to see minimum requirements between $500 and $1,000 but you may see higher or lower requirements depending on the bank.
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The early withdrawal penalty: Before opening a CD, understand the early withdrawal penalties. You might forfeit six months' worth of interest for withdrawing from a one-year CD early, but a five-year CD could cost you 18 months' worth of interest.
Not sure about committing your money?
If you're worried about locking up your money, consider shorter-term CDs or no-penalty CDs, which allow you to withdraw your full balance after an initial holding period.
Don’t shy away from searching for a credit union
Credit unions are nonprofit institutions and pass on profits to their members, not shareholders, in the form of higher savings rates. But there are so many credit unions with very specific membership requirements (often based on where you live or work) that Bankrate can’t possibly cover them all, which means you’ll have to do a bit of your own searching.
The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) has a nifty credit union finder tool you can use to locate credit unions in your area. Look for a credit union with membership requirements you meet, and maybe even one that supports your local community or favorite cause.
To get you started, here are the three biggest credit unions in Georgia, by membership size, as of the fourth quarter of 2025:
Credit unions may have a different name for their CDs
Many credit unions call their CDs share certificates or just certificates.
How to decide whether you want a long- or short-term CD
If you don’t need to touch your money for a couple of years, you may find that a long-term CD is your best bet, as they lock in a high yield even if banks slash rates down the road. Plus the longer you leave your money deposited, the more interest you’ll earn, even if the rate offered is lower than what’s available on a short-term CD.
Before committing your funds, check in on your financial goals and timeline and do the math to see what your deposit will earn with different terms and rates.
Next steps to take out a CD in Georgia
Research methodology
Since 1976, Bankrate has been a leading publisher of rates and personal finance articles. We help our readers make smarter financial decisions, adhering to strict principles of editorial integrity and transparency.
Part of Bankrate’s editorial team is made up of a group of banking experts. These experts have collectively researched over 100 banks and review current details at least monthly to make sure readers stay up to date on the latest rates and bank products. If you see a star rating next to a product, that has been established by one of our banking experts, and is not influenced by partner status.
Note: Bankrate doesn’t include callable CDs or brokered CDs on this page and compares regular CDs and no-penalty CDs separately.
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Banks shown on page are a combination of partners and a selection of banks monitored by Bankrate. Sorting is based on the highest APYs with a $25,000 balance. Minimum balance requirements and then alphabetical order help break ties between banks and credit unions. Here's how we make money and here is our advertiser disclosure.
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Accordia Bank, Alliant Credit Union, Ally Bank, Alto, America First Credit Union, American Express National Bank, Axos Bank, Banesco USA, Bank of America, Bank5 Connect, BankUnited Direct, Barclays Bank, Bask Bank, BMO Bank, Boeing Employees’ Credit Union, Bread Savings, BrioDirect, BTG Pactual, Capital One, Cash App, CFG Bank, Charles Schwab Bank, Chase Bank, CIBC Bank USA, CIT Bank, Citibank, Citizens Access, Citizens Bank, Colorado Federal Savings Bank, Connexus Credit Union, Credit One Bank, Customers Bank, Discover Bank, E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley, Emigrant Bank, EverBank, Fifth Third Bank, First Citizens Bank, First Internet Bank, First National Bank of America, First Tech Credit Union, FNBO Direct, Forbright Bank, FourLeaf Federal Credit Union, Golden 1 Credit Union, Happen Bank, Huntington National Bank, Jenius Bank, KeyBank, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Live Oak Bank, M&T Bank, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, Mountain America Credit Union, MySavingsDirect, Navy Federal Credit Union, NBKC Bank, North American Savings Bank, Openbank, Patelco Credit Union, Peak Bank, Pentagon Federal Credit Union, PNC Bank, Popular Direct, Quontic Bank, Quorum Federal Credit Union, Regions Bank, Rising Bank, Salem Five Direct, Sallie Mae Bank, Santander Bank, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, Security Service Federal Credit Union, SoFi, State Employees' Credit Union, Suncoast Credit Union, Synchrony Bank, TAB Bank, TD Bank, Texas Capital Bank, The Federal Savings Bank, Third Federal Savings and Loan, Truist Bank, UFB Direct, US Bank, USAA Bank, Valley Bank, Varo Bank, Vio Bank, Wells Fargo, Western State Bank, Zions Bank, ZYNLO Bank