Here's How Much $10,000 Could Earn in High-Yield Savings in 2026

Published on Jan. 27, 2026

Joel O'Leary

By: Joel O'Leary

Full-Time Personal Finance Writer

Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. APY = Annual Percentage Yield.

Right now, top high-yield savings accounts (HYSAs) are offering rates around 3.50% to 4.00% APY -- and in some cases even higher.

At these rates, if you're sitting on a $10,000 balance you could earn about $350-$400 a year in interest, without taking on risk, locking up your money, or doing anything complicated.

Here's a deeper dive and where you can find these high-APY accounts.

How much interest can $10,000 earn in a high-yield savings account?

The difference between a regular savings account and a high-yield one is night and day.

With the national average stuck around 0.39% APY, your $10,000 earns just $39 a year. That's a couple movie tickets, but not life changing money.

You can actually make 10X that with a top online high-yield account. With rates between 3.50% and 4.00%, here's how much interest you could make in a year:

APY Interest Earned
0.39% (national average) $39
3.50% $350
3.75% $375
4.00% $400
Data source: Author's calculations. National avg. rate accurate as of Jan. 2026.

That's a clear win for high-yield savings. Even on a smaller balance, the extra interest builds up quickly.

Where to find the best APYs today

The highest savings rates right now are coming from online banks, not the traditional brick-and-mortar ones.

But don't worry, these banks typically have the same security and FDIC insurance that big name banks have.

One of my favorite high-yield savings accounts now is the Barclays Tiered Savings account. You can score 3.85% APY, with no monthly fees or account minimums.

Rates as of Jan 27, 2026

Barclays Tiered Savings

Open Account for Barclays Tiered Savings

On Barclays' Secure Website.

Member FDIC.
4.80/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
4.80/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Open Account for Barclays Tiered Savings

On Barclays' Secure Website.

Special Offer
Earn $200 Bonus with qualifying activities. Terms Apply. Circle with letter I in it.

To earn a $200 bonus, new customers can open a savings account; deposit $30,000 or more within 30 days; and maintain at least that balance for 120 consecutive days. The bonus will be credited to your account within 60 days of meeting these requirements. Offer ends Mar. 31, 2026. Terms apply.
APY
3.85% Rate info Circle with letter I in it. Balances less than $250,000 earn 3.85%, and balances greater than $250,000 earn 4.00%.
Min. To Earn APY
$0
  • Competitive APY
  • No monthly account fee
  • Unlimited number of external transfers (up to daily transaction limits)
  • FDIC insured
  • No minimum deposit to open an account
  • Balance requirement for maximum APY
  • No ATM access
  • No wire transfers (inbound or outbound)
  • No branch access; online only

Barclays Tiered Savings rewards savers with a tiered APY structure, offering higher rates as your balance grows. No monthly fees and no minimum balance to open mean it's accessible to everyone, while unlimited transfers and withdrawals let you manage your savings your way. And now, you can take advantage of a special offer $200 bonus on top of your savings growth when you open a new account and deposit $30,000 or more. Offer ends Mar. 31, 2026. Terms apply.

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Why a high-yield savings account is an easy upgrade

If you're not earning great interest right now on your cash, you owe it to yourself to move that money to a new account.

Switching to an HYSA doesn't mean giving up flexibility or security. In fact, most people find it's an upgrade across the board.

Here are the top features to expect with the best high-yield savings accounts:

  • No monthly maintenance fees
  • No minimum balance requirements
  • Easy online application and setup
  • Full access to your cash when you need it
  • FDIC insurance up to $250,000

In other words, you're not trading safety for returns. You're just choosing a smarter place to store the same money.

On $10,000, the difference between average and high-yield rates is hundreds of dollars a year.

Ready to start earning more interest on your cash? Check out our list of the best high-yield savings accounts today and find the top APYs.

Our Research Expert

Joel O'Leary
Joel O'Leary icon-button-linkedin-2x

Joel O’Leary is a full-time Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money, covering credit cards, bank accounts, investing, mortgages, and other personal finance topics. Joel has been writing about personal finance since 2018, previously leading editorial content for the How To Money podcast and serving as a resident writer at Budgets Are Sexy. He bought his first rental property at age 18, funding the down payment with savings from his high school job at McDonald’s -- a testament to his lifelong passion for smart money decisions. His work aims to make personal finance accessible and actionable for everyday readers. When he’s not writing, Joel enjoys surfing and spending time with his family.