# What $100,000 earns in a 5-year CD

> Lock six figures away until 2031 and the payout is fixed, predictable, and north of $23,700.
- Title: What $100,000 earns in a 5-year CD · CBS News | Shortify
- Summary: Lock six figures away until 2031 and the payout is fixed, predictable, and north of $23,700. A $100,000 5-year CD opened now returns roughly $23,700 to…
- Keywords: cds, savings, interest rates, personal finance, investing, news, 100, 000, earns, 5-year, CBS News
- Source: CBS News — https://cbsnews.com/news/how-much-interest-can-100000-5-year-cd-earn-now
- Author: Matt  Richardson
- Published: 2026-09-15T19:15:30+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: cds, savings, interest rates, personal finance, investing, news
## Cash is asking a question
Stock returns have averaged 10% to 16% over the past decade. Top CD rates sit near 4%, so anyone holding $100,000 has to decide what that gap is worth.
## CDs sell certainty
A fixed rate guarantees the return, which almost nothing else in savings or investing does. For five years the money is parked and the payout is already known.

> a CD can provide something most other savings accounts and investments cannot
## Shop before you deposit
Rates swing by lender and term. Grabbing the first good number you see can cost real money, and pulling funds back out means paying an early withdrawal fee.
## The actual numbers
Held to maturity in 2031: 4.35% pays $23,726.37, 4.40% pays $24,023.07, and 4.45% pays $24,320.35. A five basis point difference is worth about $300.
## Flexible? Then flex
If five years feels long or $100,000 feels like too much, shorter terms and smaller deposits exist. An online marketplace lays the options side by side.
## Only for the committed
Tens of thousands in predictable return, with zero risk to principal. But break the term early and the penalty eats into it, so high-yield savings may fit better.

> only the most serious savers should consider
## Key takeaway

A $100,000 5-year CD opened now returns roughly $23,700 to $24,300 by 2031, but only if you can leave the money untouched.