$90,000 CD could earn more than $21,000 over five years

Locking $90,000 into a five-year certificate of deposit can still produce more than $21,000 in interest, but it also freezes a large sum of cash until maturity. At a 4.28% APY, NASA Federal Credit Union’s five-year certificate would earn about $21,433.60 with monthly compounding, while the same deposit at the 1.72% national average five-year CD yield would earn about $8,076.53.

The spread shows why the five-year CD market still matters even after rates have eased. Bankrate said the national average five-year CD yield was 1.72% APY as of July 7, 2026, while the average one-year CD yield was 1.99% APY. That gap is narrow enough to make a shorter lockup look attractive, especially after national average CD rates drifted down following Federal Reserve rate cuts in late 2025 and then held fairly steady in recent months.

The best offers are far above the averages. NerdWallet listed TAB Bank’s five-year CD at 4.20% APY, and other five-year CDs were around 4.00% to 4.15% APY. NerdWallet said the highest CD rates are typically found at online banks and credit unions, where competition has kept top yields well above the national average.

The policy backdrop also helps explain why rate shoppers need to read the fine print. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s June 15, 2026 national rates tables use the $10,000 and $100,000 product tiers for CDs, and its rate-cap framework sets formulas for certain deposit products. FDIC insurance still covers deposits up to $250,000 at banks and credit unions, which makes principal protection a major selling point for longer CDs.

For savers choosing between a five-year CD, a high-yield savings account, or a Treasury ladder, the tradeoff is simple: fixed income versus access. A high-yield savings account keeps cash liquid but leaves the rate exposed to change. A Treasury ladder can stagger maturities and shorten the time cash is locked up. A five-year CD, by contrast, offers a guaranteed return for the full term, which can be attractive if rates fall further. But for anyone who may need the money sooner, the extra yield has to justify the loss of flexibility.