What is the best CD rate for $50,000?

Savers can earn substantial amounts of interest with a $50,000 CD account at today's top rates. BanksPhotos/Getty Images

In the unpredictable, inflationary economy of recent years, certificate of deposit (CD) accounts have been a smart and effective way to protect your money. 

These accounts are FDIC-insured up to $250,000 per account. But they also come with fixed interest rates, meaning savers can easily calculate their interest-earning potential. And, because of this, they won't need to worry about market changes that impact interest rates, allowing them to focus on other savings goals and strategies in the interim. 

The interest rate the account is opened with, however, may require a bit of homework. It won't be easy to pivot should rates change in the future, as most traditional CD accounts come with early withdrawal penalties issued against savers who take their money out of the account before it matures. So, it's important to open an account at the right rate at the right time. And this is especially important to do when looking to deposit a five-figure amount, like $50,000. Penalties for opening an account of this size early could be costly, but the interest-earning potential if kept intact could be significant.

Before getting started, it helps to know what the best CD rate for $50,000 is right now, in early September 2025. The answer may not be as clear as you might think. Below, we'll break down what to know right now.

Start by seeing how high a CD rate you could lock in here.

What is the best CD rate for $50,000?

There is no clear answer to this question as it can be interpreted in multiple ways. For many savers, the "best" CD rate will always be the highest one they can secure. But a higher rate doesn't necessarily equate to the greatest interest earnings. 

For example, savers can generally find the highest CD rates right now on short-term CDs (which mature in one year or less). Rates on the top 3-month CDs and 6-month CDs, for example, are between 4.25% and 4.45% currently. On 1-year CDs, however, they're around 4.20% and are approximately 4.10% on 2-year CDs. 

So, that makes short-term CD rates the best for your $50,000, then, right? Not necessarily. In these instances, it helps to calculate the interest you can earn with a deposit of this size, with accounts with these rates. Here's what each could earn now:

• $50,000 3-month CD at 4.25%: $522.99
• $50,000 6-month CD at 4.45%: $1,100.39
• $50,000 1-year CD at 4.20%: $2,100.00
• $50,000 2-year CD at 4.10%: $4,184.05

So, yes, rates on short-term CDs are technically better than long-term ones. However, thanks to the extended interest-earning timeline long-term CDs offer, the returns there are exponentially higher than what savers could earn with the "best" short-term options. Against this reality, savers should weigh their options carefully and determine what their ultimate goal is: securing a high rate or earning as much interest as they can? The answer won't be the same for everyone.

Compare today's top CD rates and terms here to learn more about your options now.

The bottom line

Savers can earn hundreds and, potentially, thousands of dollars in interest with a $50,000 CD account now. It will take time, however, to earn the latter amount so it may not be the "best" option for every saver, or even most. Compare your options carefully and explore other savings vehicles, too, like high-yield savings and money market accounts, which also come with high rates right now without requiring savers to lock their funds away. That said, those accounts have variable rates subject to change based on market conditions, so that volatility will need to be accounted for, too.