ESL CD Rates (November 2026) & Calculator

Every certificate term ESL lists on its website, with what $10,000 earns over the full term.

Special is a promotional rate. Relationship needs a linked account at ESL. A dash means the same APY as the opening balance. The highlighted row is ESL's top rate.

Source: ESL certificate rates. Rates change often; confirm before you open an account.

The FDIC national average is what banks and credit unions pay on average, weighted by deposits (Oct 19, 2026). The last column is the best rate among the 82 other banks we track for the same term.

ESL CD rates compared with the FDIC national average

Term	ESL	National avg	Best other bank
1 month	0.05%	0.23%	SSchoolsFirst FCU 3.15%
2 months	–	0.23% (1 mo)	Chase 0.50% (relationship)
3 months	0.10%	1.14%	Popular Direct 4.30%
6 months	0.10%	1.39%	Popular Direct 4.35%
7 months	3.75%	1.39% (6 mo)	CConsumers Credit Union 4.35%
9 months	0.10%	1.39% (6 mo)	Synchrony 4.50%
1 year	0.12%	1.76%	Sallie Mae 4.60%
18 months	0.12%	1.76% (12 mo)	Popular Direct 4.80%
2 years	0.15%	1.55%	E*TRADE 4.80%
3 years	0.15%	1.39%	Popular Direct 4.85%
4 years	0.15%	1.31%	Popular Direct 4.95%
5 years	0.20%	1.41%	Sallie Mae 5.00%
6 years	0.25%	1.41% (60 mo)	WWright-Patt 4.70%
7 years	0.30%	1.41% (60 mo)	FFNBA 4.60%
8 years	0.35%	1.41% (60 mo)	FFNBA 4.60%
9 years	0.40%	1.41% (60 mo)	FFNBA 4.60%
10 years	0.40%	1.41% (60 mo)	FFNBA 4.75%

Laddering $10,000 across ESL's 1 year at 0.12%, 2 years at 0.15%, 3 years at 0.15% earns $29.03 by the time every rung matures, and frees cash every year. Plan the full ladder, mixing banks if you like, on the CD ladder calculator.

Example: $10,000 in a 1-year certificate at 0.12%, withdrawn after 6 months, has earned $6.00. The penalty is $2.96, so you would get $10,003.04.

Model your own deposit and withdrawal date with ESL's rule pre-filled, including the month the interest beats the penalty and whether switching to a better rate pays off, on the CD early withdrawal penalty calculator.

The penalty applies whether or not that many days of dividends were earned, so it can reach your principal. Official disclosure (checked 2026-11-07).

Open to people who live in eligible New York counties and to employees and retirees of eligible companies and groups. Membership details.

Certificate dividends are taxed like bank interest: taxable as ordinary income, federally and in most states. You owe tax in the year the interest is credited or accrues, even if it stays in the certificate until maturity. ESL sends Form 1099-INT when you earn $10 or more in a year. For example, the $217.07 that $10,000 earns over 7 months at 3.75% would cost about $48 in federal tax in the 22% bracket.

If you pay an early withdrawal penalty, it appears in box 2 of your 1099-INT and you can deduct it from your income, even if you don't itemize. Certificates held in an IRA follow IRA tax rules instead. See IRS Publication 550.