$30,000 CD vs. $30,000 high-yield savings account vs. $30,000 money market account: Which will earn more interest?

MoneyWatch: Managing Your Money $30,000 CD vs. $30,000 high-yield savings account vs. $30,000 money market account: Which will earn more interest? 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 4, 2026 / 3:07 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google The interest-earning potential of CDs, high-yield savings and money market accounts may look similar but it won't be identical. Getty Images/iStockphoto Saving a sizable amount of money can feel incredibly difficult. But there has been one component that's helped lift some of that burden from savers in recent years – high interest rates on select savings accounts. While an elevated interest rate landscape hurts borrowers, it also can serve as a boon for savers, many of whom have taken advantage in recent years via accounts with rates as high as 6% or 7%. So, if you have thousands or tens of thousands of dollars in a traditional savings account, there are still viable alternative homes in which to keep it. And if you have a five-figure amount such as $30,000, the interest-earning potential can be substantial, especially accounting for compounding interest. That said, while there may be three primary account types in which to keep this money, the interest-earning potential will vary. That's because certificate of deposit (CD) accounts have different rates than high-yield savings accounts, which, in turn, have different rates than money market accounts.To best determine which account makes the most sense for your $30,000, then, it h...