Our California banking reporters found that these are the highest cd rates from national banks that you can access via the internet. Only a short time ago, interest rates on savings accounts were mostly less than 1%. As you can see, cd interest rates are starting to rise, and the good news is that online banks, whose terms can be checked through our CD rates table, are at the top of the financial institutions paying the best rates nationwide. Over time, CD rates are expected to rise slightly, so be prepared to ladder your investment in any certificate of deposit. Don't lock in for a long term now. Prefer shorter terms because they give you more flexibility. The returns to you, the consumer, are much higher with these CDs than the national average cd rate yield, which is what you normally earn for an ordinary bank certificate of deposit. This is good news if you have cash and you are looking for the best place to park your dollars for an IRA or money market savings account. For the best cd interest rates in CA, come back often and check our rates comparison table before you invest.