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USAA CDs are safe, FDIC-insured accounts for military members and their families, but only the short 91-day CD is competitive: 3.51% APY with $1,000, 3.76% with $95,000 and 4.01% with $175,000 on October 13, 2026. Every term of a year or longer pays 1.80% or less, roughly at or below the FDIC national average, while Navy Federal paid 4.05% for 12 months the same day. CDs renew automatically at whatever rate applies at maturity, and penalties run from 30 to 365 days of interest and can eat into principal. Use the 91-day CD if you bank at USAA and want a short parking spot; look elsewhere for anything longer.
- Best rate
- 91-day CD: 3.51% APY ($1,000), 3.76% ($95,000 Jumbo), 4.01% ($175,000 Super Jumbo), rates current as of October 13, 20261
- 12-month CD
- 1.80% APY at every balance tier1
- 5-year CD
- 1.25% APY at every balance tier; 3 years 1.30%; 7 years 1.25%1
- Minimum deposit
- $1,000 Standard, $95,000 Jumbo, $175,000 Super Jumbo; $250 for Standard IRA CDs2
- Terms
- 30 days to 7 years; adjustable-rate CDs of 3 to 7 years currently pay 0.01%; variable-rate CDs unavailable2
- Early withdrawal penalty
- 30 days of interest for terms of 30 days or less, 90 days up to 1 year, 180 days over 1 year and under 5, 365 days for 5 years or more; taken from principal if interest isn't enough3
- At maturity
- Renews automatically for the same term at the rate on the maturity date; notice 30 days before; 10-calendar-day grace period2
- Insurance
- USAA Federal Savings Bank, FDIC certificate 32188, insured up to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category5
Pros
- 91-day CD pays 3.51% to 4.01% APY
- Terms from 30 days to 7 years, plus IRA CDs
- FDIC insured through USAA Federal Savings Bank
- 30-day maturity notice and 10-day grace period
- Easy to manage alongside USAA checking and insurance
Cons
- 1-year and longer CDs pay 1.80% or less
- Membership limited to the military community
- Penalty can take principal if interest doesn't cover it
- Adjustable-rate CDs pay 0.01%
- Jumbo tiers add nothing beyond 7 months
Best for: USAA members who want to park cash for about three months at a solid rate in the same app as their checking and insurance.
Skip it if: You want a CD of a year or longer, since Navy Federal, online banks and brokered CDs pay two to three times as much.
USAA vs. competitors
| Company | 12-month APY | 5-year APY | Minimum | Who can open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | 1.80% (91-day 3.51%) | 1.25% | $1,000 | USAA members (military community) |
| Navy Federal | 4.05% (4.35% Special EasyStart) | 3.85% | $1,000 ($50 EasyStart) | Military, DoD and families |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs | 4.40% | 4.40% | $500 | Anyone |
| Capital One 360 | 4.00% | 3.60% | $0 | Anyone |
USAA pricing at a glance
USAA fixed-rate CD rates (APY), current as of October 13, 20261
| Term | Standard ($1,000) | Jumbo ($95,000) | Super Jumbo ($175,000) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | Not offered | Not listed | 0.05% |
| 91 days | 3.51% | 3.76% | 4.01% |
| 120 and 150 days | Not offered | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| 182 days | 2.00% | 2.15% | 2.25% |
| 7 months | 2.25% | 2.34% | 2.50% |
| 270 days | 2.00% | 2.00% | 2.00% |
| 1 year | 1.80% | 1.80% | 1.80% |
| 15 months | 1.70% | 1.70% | 1.70% |
| 18 months | 1.65% | 1.65% | 1.65% |
| 2 years | 1.40% | 1.40% | 1.40% |
| 30 months and 3 years | 1.30% | 1.30% | 1.30% |
| 4, 5 and 7 years | 1.25% | 1.25% | 1.25% |
Adjustable-rate CDs (3, 4, 5 and 7 years) paid 0.01% APY and allow one rate bump of up to 2% over the original rate. Rates change daily and aren't guaranteed until the CD is issued.
USAA, step by step
Become a USAA member
Active duty, Guard and Reserve, honorably discharged veterans, cadets and midshipmen, and spouses and children of members can join for free.
Log on and choose a term
CDs are opened online after you log in. Pick the term and tier based on your deposit.
Fund it
Move money from a USAA checking or savings account or a verified external account. No more deposits are allowed on fixed-rate CDs.
Plan for maturity
USAA sends a notice 30 days ahead. You then have 10 calendar days after maturity to withdraw or change terms before it renews at the current rate.
USAA CD rates today
As of October 13, 2026, USAA’s fixed-rate CDs paid 3.51% APY on the 91-day term with $1,000, 3.76% with $95,000 and 4.01% with $175,000. After that, rates drop: 2.00% for 182 days, 2.25% for 7 months, 1.80% for 1 year, 1.40% for 2 years, 1.30% for 3 years and 1.25% for 4, 5 and 7 years, the same at every balance tier. The FDIC’s national averages were 1.73% for 12 months and 1.38% for 60 months, so USAA’s longer CDs pay about the average or less.
Are USAA CDs safe?
Yes. CDs are held at USAA Federal Savings Bank, FDIC certificate 32188, with about $106.2 billion in assets as of June 30, 2026. Deposits are insured up to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category. The bank has been under OCC enforcement orders since 2019 over compliance and risk controls, most recently a December 2024 order that limits new products; it doesn’t affect deposit insurance. CD complaints are a small slice of USAA’s total: 42 of 7,664 CFPB complaints in three years.
Types of USAA CDs
- Fixed-rate CD: 30 days to 7 years, with Standard ($1,000), Jumbo ($95,000) and Super Jumbo ($175,000) tiers. No added deposits during the term.
- Adjustable-rate CD: 3 to 7 years; you can bump the rate once, up to 2% over the original, and add one deposit when you do. It paid 0.01% APY when we checked.
- Variable-rate CD: $250 minimum, currently unavailable.
- IRA CDs: from $250, for existing USAA IRA owners.
What customers say about USAA
Recurring themes across the review sites and complaint records listed above, not individual quotes.
Common praise
- Easy online and app account opening for members
- Trusted brand among military families
- Competitive 91-day rate at jumbo balances
Common complaints
- Rates on longer terms far below other banks
- Long waits to reach a live representative
- Account holds and frozen funds on bank accounts
- Renewals at much lower rates
USAA early withdrawal penalties
USAA’s fee schedule sets penalties as simple interest on the amount withdrawn:
- Terms of 30 days or fewer: 30 days of interest
- More than 30 days up to 1 year: 90 days
- More than 1 year and under 5 years: 180 days
- 5 years or more: 365 days
USAA takes the penalty from earned interest first and then from principal, so an early withdrawal soon after opening can leave you with less than you deposited. You can have interest paid out monthly to a USAA account without a penalty.
What happens when a USAA CD matures
The CD renews automatically for the same term at the rate in effect on the maturity date. USAA sends a notice 30 days before. You then have 10 calendar days to change the term, add or remove money, or close it; if the 10th day isn’t a business day, the window ends the business day before. With longer-term rates this low, decide before maturity rather than letting a short CD roll into a long one.
Complaints and what members report
USAA as a whole draws heavy complaint volume: 3,389 BBB complaints and 7,664 CFPB complaints in three years, and a 1.3 out of 5 Trustpilot score. Most concern checking accounts, credit reporting, credit cards and insurance claims. The 42 CD complaints in the CFPB database are mainly about managing or closing accounts. If a CD problem isn’t fixed by member services, file with the CFPB.
Who should skip USAA CDs
Anyone saving for a year or more. Navy Federal, which serves much of the same military community, paid 4.05% for 12 months and 3.85% for 5 years on the same day USAA paid 1.80% and 1.25%. Online banks and brokered CDs were also far ahead. A high-yield savings account may beat USAA’s longer CDs with no lockup at all.
Alternatives to USAA
- Navy Federal certificates Also for the military community, and paid more than double USAA's rate on 12-month and 5-year terms. Read review
- Marcus by Goldman Sachs Open to anyone, with a $500 minimum and a much higher rate on 1 to 5 year terms. Read review
- Brokered CDs at Fidelity Higher yields on most terms and no early withdrawal penalty, since you sell on the market instead. Read review
- Treasury bills Bought free at TreasuryDirect, exempt from state income tax, and backed by the U.S. government.
USAA reviews
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Frequently asked questions
What are USAA's CD rates today?
On October 13, 2026: 3.51% APY for 91 days, 2.00% for 182 days, 2.25% for 7 months, 1.80% for 1 year, 1.40% for 2 years, 1.30% for 3 years and 1.25% for 5 years on a $1,000 Standard CD.
What is USAA's best CD rate?
The 91-day CD: 3.51% APY with $1,000, 3.76% with $95,000 and 4.01% with $175,000.
What is USAA's 12-month CD rate?
1.80% APY at every balance tier as of October 13, 2026, about the same as the FDIC's 1.73% national average.
What is the minimum deposit for a USAA CD?
$1,000 for a Standard CD, $95,000 for Jumbo and $175,000 for Super Jumbo. Standard IRA CDs start at $250.
What is USAA's early withdrawal penalty?
30 days of interest for terms of 30 days or less, 90 days up to 1 year, 180 days for terms over 1 year and under 5, and 365 days for 5 years or more. It can come out of principal.
Can non-military people open a USAA CD?
No. CDs are only for USAA members: active duty, Guard and Reserve, honorably discharged veterans, cadets and midshipmen, and spouses and children of members.
Are USAA CDs FDIC insured?
Yes. They're deposits at USAA Federal Savings Bank, FDIC certificate 32188, insured up to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category.
What happens when my USAA CD matures?
It renews for the same term at the current rate. You get a notice 30 days before and a 10-calendar-day grace period after maturity to make changes.
Does USAA have a no-penalty CD?
No. All USAA CDs carry an early withdrawal penalty. If you need flexibility, consider a savings account.
Are USAA CDs better than Navy Federal certificates?
Only for the 91-day term. On October 13, 2026 Navy Federal paid 4.05% for 12 months and 3.85% for 5 years versus USAA's 1.80% and 1.25%.
Sources (10)
Facts on this page come from company websites, government agencies and regulators, checked on the dates shown. Editorial standards
- USAA: CD rates (current as of October 13, 2026) (accessed October 13, 2026)
- USAA: Certificates of deposit and FAQ (accessed October 13, 2026)
- USAA Federal Savings Bank: Depository Agreement and Account and Service Fee Schedule (effective October 10, 2025) (accessed October 13, 2026)
- FDIC: National rates and rate caps (September 21, 2026) (accessed October 13, 2026)
- FDIC: BankFind, USAA Federal Savings Bank (certificate 32188) (accessed October 13, 2026)
- CFPB: Consumer complaint database, United Services Automobile Association (accessed October 13, 2026)
- BBB: USAA business profile (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Trustpilot: USAA reviews (accessed October 12, 2026)
- National Mortgage News: OCC issues another comprehensive order against USAA (December 2024) (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Navy Federal Credit Union: Certificate accounts and rates (accessed October 13, 2026)
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