How Much Interest Does $10,000 Earn in a Year?

SmartAsset: How Much Interest Does $10,000 Earn in a Year?

If you have $10,000 to invest in interest-producing assets, understanding how much you can earn per year is key. The amount you can earn in interest varies based on the asset you choose. Let’s break down how much interest $10,000 can earn in a year.

A financial advisor could help you identify the best interest income opportunities for your financial plan.

Liquidity and Risk Tolerance Considerations

$10,000 is a significant sum. But the amount of interest you can earn on this money varies widely. Two major factors impacting your returns are liquidity and risk tolerance.

Liquidity indicates how easily accessible your funds are. On one side of the liquidity scale are savings accounts which give you access to your funds at any time. On the other side, you’ll find certificates of deposit (CDs) that lock up your funds for a specified period of time.

The amount of liquidity you need varies based on your financial situation. If you have a robust emergency fund, then illiquid investments can fit into your long-term plans. If you don’t have emergency savings to tap into immediately, then a more liquidity opportunity is likely the right move.

In addition to liquidity, your risk tolerance will impact your interest-earning choices. Typically, investments that produce more interest come with more risk attached. You’ll have to weigh the lost potential earnings against the safety of the opportunity.

If you want to invest $10,000 into an interest-earning opportunity, then you have plenty of options. As a general rule, you can earn more in interest by taking on more risk. Let’s take a look at six ways you can earn interest and how much you can with with $10,000 a year:

Savings account. A savings account at a financial institution can offer you extreme liquidity. Safety is also included since bank savings accounts are guaranteed for up to $250,000 by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and credit union savings accounts are guaranteed for up to $250,000 through the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). The interest you can earn depends on whether your money is in a brick-and-mortar bank or an online bank. As of April 2023 the former was paying 0.01% to 0.15%, meaning you could earn between $1 and $15 on $10,000 in one year. The latter type of bank was paying an approximate average of 4.25%, meaning you could earn about $425 in one year.

Money market account. Generally, a money market account pays more than a traditional savings account. Since money market accounts were paying well over 4%, with some institutions between 1% to 1.60% in interest, you can earn between $100 to $160 per year with $10,000.

Money market funds. A money market fund is a mutual fund that invests in short-term debts. Currently, money market funds pay between 4.47% and 4.87% in interest. With that, you can earn between $447 to $487 in interest on $10,000 each year.

Certificates of deposit (CDs). CDs are offered by financial institutions for set periods of time. The lack of liquidity translates into higher interest payments. You can earn between 2.25% and 5.15%depending on the CD’s duration. Typically, a longer term means a higher interest rate. So, you can earn between $225 to $515 per year on a CD.

Treasury securities. Treasury securities, like bonds, notes and bills, issued by the federal government are considered extremely safe investments. Bills have a maturity of less than a year, notes have maturities from two, five and 10 years and bonds are for 20 and 30 years. The amount you can earn varies based on market conditions. But current rates range from about 5% for a bill to 3.5% for a 10-year-note. So, as of now, you could earn between $500 and $350 in interest for the year.

Series I savings bonds. iBonds are also issued by the federal government. It has been paying 6.89%, though the rate is set to change April 28, 2023.

Corporate and municipal bonds. Local governments issue municipal bonds to pay for major projects and corporate bonds are sold by large companies to borrow funds. Neither of these options is as safe as a U.S. treasury bond. But both tend to offer higher interest payments. How much interest you can earn in a year will depend on the vehicle you choose. As an example, a $10,000 corporate bond could earn $478 in one year based on a 4.78% June rate. You should keep in mind, however, that interest rates fluctuate. The price goes up when interest rates fall and decreases when interest rates go up.

Bottom Line

If you have $10,000 to invest in a fixed-income security you have many choice, including savings accounts, bonds and more.

Although the amount of interest you can earn varies, you’ll likely find a level of liquidity that works well for your finances.

Investing Tips for Beginners

A financial advisor can help put your money to work for you. Finding such a professional doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
If you need help determining how much risk you want to take on, SmartAsset’s free asset allocation calculator.
When compounded over time, interest savings can add up quickly. SmartAsset’s free savings calculator can help you estimate how much your savings will grow.