$100,000 short-term CD vs. $100,000 high-yield savings account: Which will earn more this year?

MoneyWatch: Managing Your Money $100,000 short-term CD vs. $100,000 high-yield savings account: Which will earn more this year? We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms. .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-moneywatch.jpg'); } By Matt Richardson Matt Richardson Sr. Managing Editor, Managing Your Money Matt Richardson is the senior managing editor for the Managing Your Money section for CBSNews.com. He writes and edits content about personal finance ranging from savings to investing to insurance. Read Full Bio Matt Richardson May 14, 2026 / 11:23 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google A $100,000 deposit will grow differently in a short-term CD compared to a high-yield savings account. tolgart/Getty Images Investing $100,000 into the stock market or alternative investments may make sense in a traditional economic climate. But reports this week showed that that's far from where many savers find themselves right now. With inflation surging for the second month in a row and now sitting at its highest level in three years, savers may understandably be looking to protect as much of their money as possible. And while, in a different time, investing a six-figure sum of money may have made financial sense, right now, protecting it with a high-rate savings account may be preferable.And there are two viable ways to do just that in today's still-elevated interest rate climate: a certificate of deposit (CD) and a high-yield savings account. A short-term CD, in particular, can be advantageous now as it won't lock up your money for more than a few months. That will allow you to earn a big return while still allowing you to shift your savings strategy before the end of the year. A high-yield savings account, meanwhile, won't require you to lock your funds at all, allowing you to maintain the same level of access you've been accustomed to with a traditio...