Compare CD Rates by Term Length: Today’s Yield Curve

What Is the CD Yield Curve?

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Find Terms Offering The Best Returns With the CD Yield Curve
Easily discover which CD terms are offering the best returns. Use the CD Yield Curve to see how rates are trending across maturities so you have real-time insights into whether short- or long-term CDs will offer you the best returns.
View today's CD yield curve to find which term pays best
Top APY
Top APY
Offering the highest returns
Top 1-25%
Top 1-25%
Offering competitive returns
Median APY
Median APY
Where the middle of the market stands
CD Yield Curve
Hover over each term to see yield curve trends. Filter by financial institution, state and more.
Verified data from 4,000+ financial institutions updated daily
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What the Yield Curve Means Right Now

The shape of the yield curve says a lot about how rates are trending across maturities. In a normal yield curve, longer terms offer higher APYs, this indicates longer terms are offering higher APYs. This means the longer you’re willing to lock your money in a CD, the more you’ll earn.

In an inverted curve where the curve slopes downward, the curve is flipped so shorter terms pay higher APYs than longer ones . This happens when the Federal Reserve has raised interest rates high — typically to fight inflation — and markets expect rates to fall in the future. For savers, this inverted curve is an opportunity: competitive rates on short-term CDs without locking up money for years.

Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CD Yield Curve ?
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CD Valet's CD Yield Curve is an interactive feature that enables savers to easily discover which CD terms are offering the best returns. Users can instantly view how rates are trending across maturities, giving them real-time insights into whether short- or long-term CDs will offer higher returns.
How to use the CD Yield Curve ?
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Use the CD Yield Curve to get a big picture view of the CD market in real time. Hover over CD terms between 3-60 months to view how rates are trending across maturities. The green Top Rate line shows the highest CD rate for each maturity. The pop-up window that appears for each maturity also displays the APY in the top 1%, 10% and 25%, as well as the median rate. Filter by financial institution type or name, state, asset size or whether digital account opening is offered.
How is the data sourced ?
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All CD rate data comes from CD Valet's database of CD rates, which monitors APYs from thousands of federally insured institutions across the United States. Our Ratewatcher team verifies and updates the data daily.
Why do some terms have higher yields than others ?
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CD yields often reflect economic factors, investor demand, and financial institution strategies. The curve helps highlight which terms are currently seeing the strongest offers.
How do I compare CD rates across different term lengths ?
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Always compare CDs using the Annual Percentage Yield (APY) — that's the number that tells you what you'll actually earn in a year, no matter how the interest is calculated. The interest rate alone can be misleading. CD Valet's Yield Curve tool displays live APYs at every term length so you can identify which maturities are offering the most competitive returns right now.
What is a CD ladder and how do I build one ?
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A CD ladder is a simple strategy to earn good rates without locking all your money away at once. It involves spreading your money across multiple CDs with different maturity dates, rather than locking it all into one. For example, split $5,000 into five $1,000 CDs that mature in 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years. Every year, one CD matures and you get that money back — either to use or to reinvest. It's a way to get the benefit of longer-term rates while still maintaining flexibility and having regular access to your cash.
When do short-term CD rates beat long-term rates ?
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Short-term rates beat long-term rates when the Federal Reserve has pushed rates high — usually to fight inflation. Banks tend to pass those higher rates on to short-term savings products first, including CDs. The catch: those great short-term rates won't last forever. When the Fed starts cutting rates, short-term CD rates drop quickly too. So if you spot a great short-term rate, it's worth considering whether locking in a longer term — even at a slightly lower rate — might protect your earnings if rates fall.
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Compare CD rates from top banks and credit unions to maximize your returns

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* Annual Percentage Yield (APY) for certificates of deposits are from the latest rate surveys which are updated as often as daily. Rates are based on publicly available data for CD products. Additional restrictions and requirements may apply. The APY assumes interest remains on deposit until maturity. Early withdrawal penalty may be imposed if funds are withdrawn prior to maturity. Fees and penalties may reduce earnings. The APY for variable CD Rates may change after the account is opened.

** Annual Percentage Yield (APY) for High Yield Savings Accounts (HYSA) are effective as of the date shown above. HYSA are variable rate accounts. Rates may change after the account is opened. Fees may reduce earnings. Additional restrictions and requirements may apply. Please review the account deposit agreement and fee schedule for the financial institution for further information regarding fees, terms, and conditions.

Tiered rates may be included in the account listings. Please refer to the financial institution's website for the full listing of any tiered rates. Visitors should independently verify all terms, conditions, and limitations including, but not limited to deposit insurance coverage, credit union eligibility and membership requirements. CD Valet is not a federally insured deposit institution; deposit insurance is offered through the bank or credit union. CD Valet is compensated by a limited number of financial institutions that have either contracted marketing services with CD Valet or have an Open Now or affiliate link on CD Valet. Visit our Privacy and Disclosure Center to read related disclosures and policies of CD Valet and its partners.

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