How much interest can a $100,000 5-year CD earn now?

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September 15, 2026 / 3:15 PM EDT / CBS News

With stock market returns averaging between 10% and 16% over the past decade, savers with $100,000 in their bank account may understandably be considering investing it right now. Even the top interest rates on savings accounts like certificates of deposit (CDs), for example, top out around 4%, significantly below those investing returns.

At the same time, a CD can provide something most other savings accounts and investments cannot – a guaranteed return thanks to the account's fixed interest rate. And that predictability and security could be exactly what many savers need right now. With a 5-year CD, in particular, they can safeguard their funds for half a decade and earn a sizable amount of interest in the interim.

Locking $100,000 into a 5-year CD account won't be the right move for each saver, however, especially when robust investing returns are still readily available. For those who want to earn interest with a fixed-rate product, however, and who can afford to part with their six figures for the next five years…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/moneywatch/