A 36-month CD may be ideal for those with short to intermediate-term cash needs. Below we list the best 3-year CD rates in our database, ordered from highest APY to lowest.

Note that you may be able to find better rates with alternative account types. For example, online savings accounts or no-penalty CDs may offer higher yields.

Editor’s Pick

quontic bank cd

The Quontic Bank 3-Year CD offers a strong fixed APY of % and requires a minimum deposit of just $500. Quontic offers savings, checking and other CD term products but keep in mind that the early withdrawal penalty is high. Make sure your deposit is cash you plan to leave alone for the full term.

  • Current APY – %
  • Minimum Deposit Requirement – $500
  • Early Withdrawal Penalty – Two years of simple interest

The Rest of the Best 3-Year CDs

1. Skyla Credit Union

Certificate of Deposit

Member NCUA

APY

%

Term

36 Months

Min. Deposit

$500

Our Rating: 4.7

★★★★

Pros


  • No fees
  • Excellent rate

Cons


  • Early withdrawal penalty
  • $500 deposit requirement

Early Withdrawal Penalty

2% of principal

Min. Opening Balance

$500

Skyla Credit Union has a fantastic rate with a low minimum deposit requirement and a low early withdrawal penalty. It’s first on our list because it does everything well and if you have at least $50,000 to deposit, you can obtain a jumbo CD in the same 3-year term that offers an even higher rate.

Very little to complain about here with Skyla Credit Union but keep an eye on the early withdrawal penalty. Skyla is a rare CU that charges the fee in principal, not earned interest. If you close your account early in year #1, you could leave with less than you deposited.

2. BMO Alto

bmo alto

Certificate of Deposit

Member FDIC

APY

3.90%

Term

36 Months

Min. Deposit

$0

Our Rating: 4.5

★★★★

Pros


  • No fees
  • Excellent rate
  • No minimum deposit

Cons


  • Early withdrawal penalty

Early Withdrawal Penalty

6 months of simple interest

Min. Opening Balance

$0

BMO Alto makes the top five because it offers a 3-year CD that does everything well. High-interest rate, no minimum deposit, and a penalty of only six months simple interest when closing your CD early.

BMO Alto is an online-only bank that does not have an app. Your account can only be accessed through their website: Alto.BMO.com

3. Popular Direct

Certificate of Deposit

Member FDIC

APY

%

Term

36 Months

Min. Deposit

$10,000

Our Rating: 4.5

★★★★

Pros


  • No fees
  • Excellent rate

Cons


  • Early withdrawal penalty
  • Large deposit requirement

Early Withdrawal Penalty

365 days of simple interest

Min. Opening Balance

$10,000

The Popular Direct 3-year CD has a very strong interest rate and a great reputation. You can also find a Popular Direct savings account with a 4.65% APY.

While the Popular Direct APY is one of the best available, it also contains the highest minimum deposit requirement AND the largest loss of interest for closing early. Play it straight and this 3-year CD is great but if you need flexibility on deposit and withdrawals, look elsewhere.

4. Alliant Credit Union

Certificate of Deposit

Member NCUA

APY

%

Term

36 Months

Min. Deposit

$1,000

Our Rating: 4.6

★★★★

Pros


  • No fees
  • Excellent rate

Cons


  • Early withdrawal penalty
  • $2,500 deposit requirement

Early Withdrawal Penalty

180 days of simple interest

Min. Opening Balance

$1,000

Alliant Credit Union combines a strong interest rate with a low early withdrawal penalty. If you’re looking for a strong credit card, Alliant CU also provides a variety of cash back credit cards with highly competitive cash back rates.

Even though it might not sound like a lot, the $1,000 minimum deposit requirement can be a hurdle for some customers.

5. Discover® CD

Certificate of Deposit

Member FDIC

APY

3.50%

Term

36 Months

Min. Deposit

$0

Our Rating: 4.5

★★★★

Pros


  • No fees
  • Excellent rate

Cons


  • Early withdrawal penalty
  • No deposit requirement

Early Withdrawal Penalty

6 months of simple interest

Min. Opening Balance

$0

Discover has one of the best reputations around and their 3-year CD offers a strong return. Discover also has checking, savings and IRA products to expand your portfolio.

When opening a 3-year CD with Discover, be mindful of the loss of 6 months of simple interest if you can’t complete the 3-year term.

Highest 3-Year CD Rates by APY

Below you will find the best 3-year CD rates we could find. After looking at more than one hundred different CDs, these were the highest APYs.

113 Results

La Capitol Federal Credit Union 3-Year Super Saver Share Certificate
La Capitol Federal Credit Union
3-Year Super Saver Share Certificate
APY
4.35%
Min
$100,000
Max
-

Dow Credit Union 36-month CD
Dow Credit Union
36-month CD
APY
4.35%
Min
$500
Max
-

La Capitol Federal Credit Union 3-Year Mega Saver Share Certificate with One-time Bump
La Capitol Federal Credit Union
3-Year Mega Saver Share Certificate with One-time Bump
APY
4.30%
Min
$100,000
Max
-

La Capitol Federal Credit Union 3-Year Thrifty Saver Share Certificate
La Capitol Federal Credit Union
3-Year Thrifty Saver Share Certificate
APY
4.25%
Min
$500
Max
-

America First Credit Union 36-47 months CD
APY
4.15%
Min
$500
Max
-

All In Credit Union 36-month CD
APY
4.07%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

Signature Federal Credit Union 36-month CD
APY
4.05%
Min
$500
Max
-

USALLIANCE Financial 36-month CD
APY
4.00%
Min
$500
Max
-

NASA Federal Credit Union 36-month CD
APY
4.00%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

Colorado Federal Savings Bank 36-month CD
APY
3.95%
Min
$5,000
Max
-

Synchrony Bank 36-month CD
Synchrony Bank
36-month CD
APY
3.90%
Min
$1
Max
-

Newtek Bank 36-month CD
Newtek Bank
36-month CD
APY
3.90%
Min
$2,500
Max
$250k

Seattle Bank 36-month CD
Seattle Bank
36-month CD
APY
3.90%
Min
$1,000
Max
$220k

NASA Federal Credit Union 36-month Bump Rate CD
NASA Federal Credit Union
36-month Bump Rate CD
APY
3.90%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

BMO Alto 36-month Online CD
BMO Alto
36-month Online CD
APY
3.90%
Min
-
Max
-

Synchrony Bank 36-month IRA CD
Synchrony Bank
36-month IRA CD
APY
3.90%
Min
-
Max
-

United States Senate Federal Credit Union 36-months Plus Jumbo CD
APY
3.87%
Min
$200,000
Max
-

United States Senate Federal Credit Union 36-months Plus Jumbo Business CD
United States Senate Federal Credit Union
36-months Plus Jumbo Business CD
APY
3.87%
Min
$200,000
Max
-

Interior Federal Credit Union 36-month CD
APY
3.87%
Min
$500
Max
-

America First Credit Union 36-47 months Bump-Rate CD
America First Credit Union
36-47 months Bump-Rate CD
APY
3.85%
Min
$500
Max
-

CFG Bank 36-Month CD
CFG Bank
36-Month CD
APY
3.85%
Min
$500
Max
$250k

Luana Savings Bank 36-month Jumbo CD
Luana Savings Bank
36-month Jumbo CD
APY
3.84%
Min
$100,000
Max
-

United States Senate Federal Credit Union 36-months Jumbo CD
APY
3.82%
Min
$100,000
Max
$200k

United States Senate Federal Credit Union 36-months Jumbo Business CD
APY
3.82%
Min
$100,000
Max
$200k

Chevron Federal Credit Union 36-months Share Certificate
Chevron Federal Credit Union
36-months Share Certificate
APY
3.80%
Min
$100,000
Max
-

Chevron Federal Credit Union 36-months Share Certificate
Chevron Federal Credit Union
36-months Share Certificate
APY
3.80%
Min
$250,000
Max
-

Spectrum Credit Union 36-months Share Certificate
Spectrum Credit Union
36-months Share Certificate
APY
3.80%
Min
$100,000
Max
-

Spectrum Credit Union 36-months Share Certificate
Spectrum Credit Union
36-months Share Certificate
APY
3.80%
Min
$250,000
Max
-

First Internet Bank 36-months High Yield CD
First Internet Bank
36-months High Yield CD
APY
3.77%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

United States Senate Federal Credit Union 36-months CD
APY
3.77%
Min
$1,000
Max
$100k

United States Senate Federal Credit Union 36-months Plus Jumbo Bump Rate CD
United States Senate Federal Credit Union
36-months Plus Jumbo Bump Rate CD
APY
3.77%
Min
$200,000
Max
-

United States Senate Federal Credit Union 36-months Business CD
APY
3.77%
Min
$1,000
Max
$100k

American Bank 36-month CD
American Bank
36-month CD
APY
3.75%
Min
$500
Max
-

American Bank 36-month Business CD
American Bank
36-month Business CD
APY
3.75%
Min
$500
Max
-

Alliant Credit Union 36-Month Jumbo CD
Alliant Credit Union
36-Month Jumbo CD
APY
3.75%
Min
$75,000
Max
-

BMO 36-month Standard CD*
BMO
36-month Standard CD*
APY
3.75%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

Prime Alliance Bank 36-month CD
APY
3.75%
Min
$500
Max
-

United States Senate Federal Credit Union 36-months Jumbo Bump Rate CD
United States Senate Federal Credit Union
36-months Jumbo Bump Rate CD
APY
3.72%
Min
$100,000
Max
$200k

Bayer Heritage Federal Credit Union 36-month CD
APY
3.72%
Min
$100
Max
-

Chevron Federal Credit Union 36-months Share Certificate
Chevron Federal Credit Union
36-months Share Certificate
APY
3.70%
Min
$50,000
Max
-

Spectrum Credit Union 36-months Share Certificate
Spectrum Credit Union
36-months Share Certificate
APY
3.70%
Min
$50,000
Max
-

Luana Savings Bank 36-month CD
APY
3.68%
Min
$2,000
Max
$100k

United States Senate Federal Credit Union 36-months Bump Rate CD
APY
3.67%
Min
$1,000
Max
$100k

Marcus by Goldman Sachs 3-Year CD
APY
3.65%
Min
$500
Max
$1,000k

Alliant Credit Union 36-month CD
APY
3.65%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

Capital One Bank 360 36-months CD
Capital One Bank
360 36-months CD
APY
3.60%
Min
$1
Max
-

Chevron Federal Credit Union 36-months Share Certificate
Chevron Federal Credit Union
36-months Share Certificate
APY
3.60%
Min
$500
Max
-

Spectrum Credit Union 36-months Share Certificate
Spectrum Credit Union
36-months Share Certificate
APY
3.60%
Min
$500
Max
-

TAB Bank 36-month CD
TAB Bank
36-month CD
APY
3.60%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

TAB Bank 36-month Business CD
TAB Bank
36-month Business CD
APY
3.60%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

TotalDirectBank 36-month CD
TotalDirectBank
36-month CD
APY
3.56%
Min
$25,000
Max
-

Seattle Bank 36-month Bump-Up CD
Seattle Bank
36-month Bump-Up CD
APY
3.55%
Min
$1,000
Max
$220k

Discover® Bank 3-Year High Yield CD
Discover® Bank
3-Year High Yield CD
APY
3.50%
Min
-
Max
-

Discover® Bank 3-year IRA CD
Discover® Bank
3-year IRA CD
APY
3.50%
Min
-
Max
-

Ally Bank 3-Year High Yield CD
Ally Bank
3-Year High Yield CD
APY
3.50%
Min
$1
Max
-

EverBank 3-year CD
EverBank
3-year CD
APY
3.50%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

Bread Bank 3-Year CD
Bread Bank
3-Year CD
APY
3.50%
Min
$1,500
Max
$1,000k

Ally Bank 3-year IRA CD
Ally Bank
3-year IRA CD
APY
3.50%
Min
-
Max
-

Northern Bank Direct 36-month CD
APY
3.50%
Min
$500
Max
$250k

Connexus Credit Union 36-month Jumbo Certificate
Connexus Credit Union
36-month Jumbo Certificate
APY
3.45%
Min
$100,000
Max
-

NexBank 36-month Standard CD
NexBank
36-month Standard CD
APY
3.44%
Min
$10,000
Max
$25k

Popular Direct 36-month CD
Popular Direct
36-month CD
APY
3.40%
Min
$10,000
Max
-

Crescent Bank 36-month CD
Crescent Bank
36-month CD
APY
3.40%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

Langley Federal Credit Union 36-month CD
APY
3.35%
Min
$500
Max
-

Connexus Credit Union 36-month Certificate
Connexus Credit Union
36-month Certificate
APY
3.35%
Min
$5,000
Max
-

XCEL Federal Credit Union 36-months CD
APY
3.30%
Min
$500
Max
-

Finworth 3-Year CD
Finworth
3-Year CD
APY
3.30%
Min
$50,000
Max
$240k

Skyla Credit Union 36-month Jumbo CD
Skyla Credit Union
36-month Jumbo CD
APY
3.30%
Min
$50,000
Max
-

Quontic Bank 36-Month CD
Quontic Bank
36-Month CD
APY
3.25%
Min
$500
Max
-

Ivy Bank 3-Year CD
Ivy Bank
3-Year CD
APY
3.25%
Min
$1,000
Max
$1,000k

Forbright 36-month Online CD
Forbright
36-month Online CD
APY
3.25%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union 36-month CD
APY
3.25%
Min
$500
Max
-

Fort Liberty Federal Credit Union 36-months Jumbo Share Certificate
Fort Liberty Federal Credit Union
36-months Jumbo Share Certificate
APY
3.25%
Min
$25,000
Max
-

Skyla Credit Union 36-month CD
APY
3.20%
Min
$500
Max
-

Fort Liberty Federal Credit Union 36-months Share Certificate
Fort Liberty Federal Credit Union
36-months Share Certificate
APY
3.15%
Min
$500
Max
-

Magnifi Financial 36-month Jumbo CD
Magnifi Financial
36-month Jumbo CD
APY
3.15%
Min
$150,000
Max
-

Nelnet Bank 36-month CD via Raisin
Nelnet Bank
36-month CD via Raisin
APY
3.15%
Min
$1
Max
-

Citizens Access 3-Year Online High Yield CD
Citizens Access
3-Year Online High Yield CD
APY
3.10%
Min
$5,000
Max
-

Magnifi Financial 36-month Jumbo CD
Magnifi Financial
36-month Jumbo CD
APY
3.05%
Min
$100,000
Max
$150k

Liberty Federal Credit Union 3-Year CD
APY
3.00%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

American Express Bank 36-Month CD
APY
3.00%
Min
$1
Max
-

Bank Financial 3-Year CD
APY
3.00%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

UNIFY Financial Credit Union 36-month Jumbo CD
APY
3.00%
Min
$100,000
Max
-

Magnifi Financial 36-month CD
APY
3.00%
Min
$50,000
Max
$100k

Teachers Federal Credit Union 36-month CD
APY
3.00%
Min
$1,000
Max
$100k

Barclays Bank 36-month CD
Barclays Bank
36-month CD
APY
3.00%
Min
-
Max
-

Magnifi Financial 36-month CD
APY
2.95%
Min
$25,000
Max
$50k

Magnifi Financial 36-month CD
APY
2.90%
Min
$500
Max
$25k

Ponce Bank 36-month High Yield CD
Ponce Bank
36-month High Yield CD
APY
2.85%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

UNIFY Financial Credit Union 36-month CD
APY
2.85%
Min
$40,000
Max
$54k

Thrivent Credit Union 36-month CD
APY
2.80%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

Bayer Heritage Federal Credit Union 36-month
APY
2.79%
Min
$100
Max
-

Rising Bank 3-Year CD
Rising Bank
3-Year CD
APY
2.75%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

UNIFY Financial Credit Union 36-month CD
APY
2.70%
Min
$100
Max
$54k

NuVision Credit Union 3-Year Jumbo CD
NuVision Credit Union
3-Year Jumbo CD
APY
2.70%
Min
$100,000
Max
-

Rising Bank 36-month Rising CD
Rising Bank
36-month Rising CD
APY
2.70%
Min
$25,000
Max
-

NuVision Credit Union 3-Year CD
APY
2.65%
Min
$50,000
Max
-

MainStreet Bank 3-Year CD
APY
2.60%
Min
$500
Max
-

MainStreet Bank 3-Year Business CD
MainStreet Bank
3-Year Business CD
APY
2.60%
Min
$500
Max
-

NuVision Credit Union 3-Year CD
APY
2.60%
Min
$25,000
Max
-

Credit Union of the Rockies 36-month CD
APY
2.55%
Min
$500
Max
-

NuVision Credit Union 3-Year CD
APY
2.55%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

EverBank 3-Year Business CD
EverBank
3-Year Business CD
APY
2.40%
Min
$1,500
Max
-

Zeal Credit Union 36-months Jumbo CD
Zeal Credit Union
36-months Jumbo CD
APY
2.20%
Min
$100,000
Max
-

Zeal Credit Union 36-months CD
Zeal Credit Union
36-months CD
APY
2.10%
Min
$25,000
Max
$100k

Live Oak Bank 3-Year CD
Live Oak Bank
3-Year CD
APY
2.00%
Min
$2,500
Max
$250k

Live Oak Bank 3-Year Business CD
Live Oak Bank
3-Year Business CD
APY
2.00%
Min
$2,500
Max
$250k

Zeal Credit Union 36-months CD
Zeal Credit Union
36-months CD
APY
2.00%
Min
$1,000
Max
$25k

Citibank 3-Year Fixed Rate CD
Citibank
3-Year Fixed Rate CD
APY
2.00%
Min
$500
Max
-

Third Federal Savings & Loan 36-months CD
APY
1.50%
Min
$50
Max
-

Continental Bank 3-Year High Yield CD
Continental Bank
3-Year High Yield CD
APY
1.10%
Min
$25,000
Max
-

CIT Bank 3-Year Term CD
CIT Bank
3-Year Term CD
APY
0.40%
Min
$1,000
Max
-

CIT Bank 3-Year Jumbo CD
CIT Bank
3-Year Jumbo CD
APY
0.40%
Min
$100,000
Max
-

Using a 3-Year CD to Build a CD Ladder

A 3-year CD is one of the most uncommon lengths for a CD but it can serve a great purpose when building a CD ladder. When creating a CD Ladder, you can do so in two different ways.

The first is to open up a CD of a specific term length and every set period after, open up another one. For example, if you opened a 5-year CD today, you could open another one up one year from now. Then another two years from now etc. so that after the first CD matures, you’ll have another 5-year CD that matures every year, giving you some cash flexibility. This approach requires a bit of patience.

The second is to open CDs of different lengths all at the same time. So today, I might open five CDs, all ranging from one year to five years in length. The same goal is accomplished in having one CD mature every year, but it happens faster, and in a high-rate environment like this one, your one-year CDs offer a higher APY than a five-year CD, so you’ll earn more interest (for now).

How We Chose the Best 3-Year CDs

Deciding on which CD to open almost always boils down to three primary factors.

  1. Early Withdrawal Penalty – Before opening a CD, consider what the penalty will be if you need to close the CD early. Terms of 36 months mean at minimum, six months of lost interest and at most, two full years of lost interest. No one plans to close a CD before it matures but for peace of mind, you may gravitate toward a CD with the least penalty possible.
  2. Interest Rate (APY) – Every featured 3-year CD above has an excellent interest rate. If you’re looking to deposit $1,000, the difference in interest rate is unlikely to yield you anything more than a few dollars per year but if you’re looking to deposit $100,000, every point matters.
  3. Minimum Deposit Requirement – Many of the CDs we feature include no deposit requirement so everyone is open to depositing. Banks that require a high deposit minimum are typically ones that also will offer a higher interest rate so remember to inquire before opening a CD if you have six figures available.

Banks we included in our review are as follows: Affirm, Alaska USA Federal Credit Union, 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, Bank of the West, Bank5 Connect, Bank7, Barclays, Bask Bank, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, BMO, BMO Alto, Boeing Employees Credit Union, Bread Savings, Capital One, Carver Federal Savings 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, Credit Human Federal Credit Union, Current, Delta Community Credit Union, Discover Bank, E*TRADE, EverBank (formerly TIAA Bank), Fifth Third Bank, First Foundation, First National Bank, First Tech Federal Credit Union, Flagstar Bank, FNBO Direct, GO2bank, GreenState Credit Union, Golden 1 Credit Union, Greenwood, Hope Credit Union, Huntington Bank, Industrial Bank, Ivy Bank, KeyBank, Lake Michigan Credit Union, LendingClub Bank, Liberty Bank, Live Oak Bank, M&T Bank, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, mph.Bank, Nationwide (by Axos), Navy Federal Credit Union, NBKC, One, OneUnited Bank, Pentagon Federal Credit Union, PNC, Ponce 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, Skyla 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, Union Bank, Upgrade, USAA Bank, Varo, Vio Bank, Wells Fargo, Western Alliance Bank and Zynlo Bank.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can the rate change on my 3-year CD during the term?

No. All of the rates you see above are for a fixed term (unless the rate explicitly says otherwise). Fixed interest rates mean that the rate will not change, so the APY you have on day #1 is the same rate you’ll have on day #1,095.

Can I add money to my 3-year CD after I open it?

No. After you’ve opened a CD and made your deposit, money cannot be added or withdrawn until the CD is fully mature.

What you can do is open a new CD. The rate you receive may be different than the one you already have, but it will be guaranteed through the full term.

Final Thought on the Best 3-Year CDs

When opening up a 3-year CD, remember that your money is going to be locked up for a while. Many of the early withdrawal penalties on CDs of this length eat up most if not all of the interest you’ve earned. The best advice is to make this part of your CD ladder or only use funds you know you won’t need for a while.

Author

  • Rob Berger is the founder of Dough Roller and the Dough Roller Money Podcast. A former securities law attorney and Forbes deputy editor, Rob is the author of the book Retire Before Mom and Dad. He educates independent investors on his YouTube channel and at RobBerger.com.

    View all posts