Interest earnings across four different savings accounts will look very different over the next year.
Mike Kemp
Another Federal Reserve meeting, another interest rate pause. That was the news, albeit expected, that came out of this week's central bank meeting. The benchmark interest rate will remain frozen at a range between 3.50% and 3.75%. With the last cut here issued in December 2025 and the potential for rates to actually increase later this year not insignificant, borrowers hoping for some rate relief will have to look elsewhere.
Savers, however, have plenty of profitable options remaining. While the Fed doesn't dictate the interest rates that banks offer borrowers and savers, it does impact them. And with no rate cut issued this week, and the potential for a hike later in 2026, lenders are expected to continue offering competitive returns on a variety of accounts. So, if you have $50,000 that you don't want to invest in today's unpredictable market, it can be valuable to explore your savings account options now. That said, each savings account operates differently, with different rates, terms and accessibility requirements. The interest earnings will differ, too.
How much interest can $50,000 earn if deposited now, then? Below, we'll outline the current returns available with four different accounts.
See how much interest you can earn with a high-rate CD account here.
How much interest can $50,000 earn now? Here are 4 account options to know.
There are four primary savings account vehicles to choose from now: certificates of deposit (CDs), high-yield savings, money market and traditional savings accounts. Only the CD has a fixed interest rate that will hold until maturity, though that will require the saver to sacrifice access to their money during that period. The other three account types will permit savers to make withdrawals and deposits as needed, but the accounts will employ a variable rate that will change based on market conditions.
Here's how much interest $50,000 can earn, then, over six months and one year, using the top rates for each account type and the assumption that the variable rates will stay constant (which they appear likely to based on this week's Fed meeting results):
CD accounts
- $50,000 6-month CD at 4.10%: $1,014.70
- $50,000 1-year CD at 4.15%: $2,075.00
High-yield savings accounts
- $50,000 high-yield savings account at 4.10% after six months: $1,014.70
- $50,000 high-yield savings account at 4.10% after one year: $2,050.00
Money market accounts
- $50,000 money market account at 3.90% after six months: $965.67
- $50,000 money market account at 3.90% after one year: $1,950.00
Traditional savings accounts
- $50,000 traditional savings account at 0.38% after six months: $94.91
- $50,000 traditional savings account at 0.38% after one year: $190.00
Of these four options, the 1-year CD account will be the most profitable, and that interest will be guaranteed as long as the saver keeps the funds untouched for the full 12 months. That said, returns with high-yield savings and money market accounts will be comparable without having to give up access to your money. So those could be viable alternatives as well, especially considering that rates on both are positioned to rise alongside a potentially increasing Fed rate.
Consider all three carefully, however, and don't discount the benefits of splitting your $50,000 among them. Just be sure to avoid the traditional savings account, as your profits will be exponentially higher with any of the other three options.
Review the top savings account options available to you now.
The bottom line
Yet another Fed rate pause this week won't help borrowers, but it will be a boost for savers looking to earn as much interest on their money as possible, especially if they have $50,000 to work with. CDs, high-yield savings and money market accounts can all produce hundreds and potentially thousands of dollars in earnings on a deposit of this size over the next year. Skip the traditional savings account, then, and look to get started with one or more of the other three options. By acting now, you'll be able to easily find a high-rate account and, most importantly, start growing your savings even further.
Edited by Angelica Leicht
