It is valuable to have savings. If you have extra cash in an emergency fund, it'll be easier to pay for unanticipated expenses that come your way. The recommended amount to save varies from person to person, as everyone's financial situation differs.
But for many people, $20,000 is a sizable emergency fund goal that will go far. If you have a large chunk of savings set aside, make sure you keep it in a bank account that earns interest.
Curious how much interest you can make off $20,000? Below, I'll explain how much you can earn with this sum by keeping your cash in a high-yield savings account.
Maximize your earnings with a high-yield savings account
Before opening a savings account, check the annual percentage yield (APY). Banks use this to describe the returns an account holder can expect by keeping their cash in a savings account for one year. Many brick-and-mortar banks offer low APYs, so it's common to see rates as low as 0.01% APY. At that meager rate, you won't earn much at all.
Our Picks for the Best High-Yield Savings Accounts of 2024
SoFi Checking and Savings 
APY up to 4.60% Rate infoYou can earn the maximum APY by having Direct Deposit (no minimum amount required) or by making $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits every 30 days. See SoFi Checking and Savings rate sheet at: https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings Member FDIC. | APY up to 4.60% Rate infoYou can earn the maximum APY by having Direct Deposit (no minimum amount required) or by making $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits every 30 days. See SoFi Checking and Savings rate sheet at: https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. | Min. to earn $0 |
Citizens Access® Savings
Open Account for Citizens Access® Savings Member FDIC. | | Min. to earn $0.01 |
American Express® High Yield Savings
APY 4.25% Rate info4.25% annual percentage yield as of June 7, 2024 Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings Member FDIC. | APY 4.25% Rate info4.25% annual percentage yield as of June 7, 2024 | Min. to earn $1 |
But if you open a high-yield savings account, you'll likely be offered a much higher APY. Many online banks offer 4.00% APY or higher for these accounts. How much interest will you earn by keeping $20,000 in a high-yield savings account? It could be more than you think.
$20,000 in savings accumulates this much in interest
To determine how much interest you'll earn, multiply your initial deposit ($20,000) by the APY your bank account offers. Doing this will show you how much you'd make if you kept your cash in the bank for one year.
For the following calculations, I went with a 0.01% APY for a standard savings account and a 4.50% APY for a high-yield savings account. The bank accounts on our list of the best high-yield savings accounts have APYs ranging from 4.15% to 5.05% -- I settled somewhere in between.
These calculations assume a $20,000 deposit with no additional deposits made to your account:
| Bank account type | Interest earned after one year |
|---|
| Savings Account, 0.01% APY | $2.00 |
| High-Yield Savings Account, 4.50% APY | $900 |
Source: Author's calculations
As you can see, there is a significant difference in earnings. Keeping a large sum of cash like this in a high-yield savings account would be worthwhile if you hope to maximize the interest you earn.
Compound interest is on your side when it comes to savings
The calculations above show how much interest you can earn by keeping $20,000 in the bank for a year. But you can make more money thanks to compound interest, which is interest that you earn on interest. The longer you keep your money in your savings account, the more you earn.
To give you an idea how you can benefit from compound interest when you have a savings account, here's how much money you'll make if you keep $20,000 in a high-yield savings account for anywhere from one to five years. Again, the following calculations assume you make no additional contributions beyond the initial deposit.
Here's a breakdown:
| Year | Starting balance | Interest earned | Ending balance |
|---|
| 1 | $20,000 | $900 | $20,900 |
| 2 | $20,900 | $940.50 | $21,840.50 |
| 3 | $21,840.50 | $982.82 | $22,823.32 |
| 4 | $22,823.32 | $1,027.05 | $23,850.37 |
| 5 | $23,850.37 | $1,073.27 | $24,923.64 |
Source: Author's calculations
That's $4,923.64 -- nearly an additional $5,000 earned in five years, assuming the APY doesn't change. However, APYs can and do change, so your APY likely won't stay at the same rate for five years.
Earn more interest with no extra work
Considering the rates offered, now is an excellent time to open a high-yield savings account. By stashing your cash in a bank account with a higher APY, you can earn more interest without doing any work. Most bank accounts take only a few minutes to open, so it's worth the effort. You can improve your personal finances by boosting your bank account balance with earned interest.
These savings accounts are FDIC insured and could earn you 11x your bank
Many people are missing out on guaranteed returns as their money languishes in a big bank savings account earning next to no interest. Our picks of the best online savings accounts could earn you 11x the national average savings account rate. Click here to uncover the best-in-class accounts that landed a spot on our short list of the best savings accounts for 2024.
FAQs
By keeping your extra savings in a high-yield savings account, you may be able to earn more interest. If you keep $20,000 in a high-yield savings account for one year at 4.50% APY, you can make $900 from interest. The longer you allow your savings to sit in your account, the more interest you'll earn.
How much will $10,000 make in a high-yield savings account? ›
If you have $10,000 to invest, here's what your earnings would be at different interest rates: After one year with a regular account at 0.42%: $10,042.00. After one year with a high-yield account at 4.50%: $10,450.00. After one year with a high-yield account at 5.00%: $10,500.00.
How much interest can I earn on $20,000? ›
How much interest does $20,000 per year in a savings account? If you put your money in a traditional bank that earns 0.01%, you'd have $20,002.00 by the end of the year. In a high-yield savings account that earns 0.60%, you'd have $20,120.
How much will $30,000 make in a high-yield savings account? ›
If you keep $30,000 in a high-yield savings account for one year at 4.50% APY, you can make $1,350 in interest. The longer you let your extra cash sit in your account, the more interest you'll earn.
Can you ever lose your money with high-yield savings account? ›
You can't lose your money because, just like your regular checking and savings accounts, the money is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to $250,000.
Can you live off of a high-yield savings account? ›
It's possible, but it isn't realistic for everyone. Living off of interest relies on having a large enough balance invested that your regular interest earnings meet your salary needs. Rest assured that you don't need to earn a million dollar paycheck to reach your goal.
Is there a catch with high-yield savings? ›
Pros and cons of a high-yield savings account
A high-yield savings account offers a higher rate of return on your money compared to standard savings accounts. But some of these accounts charge fees, have minimum balances requirements, and offer variable interest rates that can go up and down over time.
Do millionaires use high-yield savings accounts? ›
Millionaires Like High-Yield Savings, but Not as Much as Other Accounts. Usually offering significantly more interest than a traditional savings account, high-yield savings accounts have blown up in popularity among everyone, including millionaires.
What happens if you put 50000 in a high-yield savings account? ›
5% APY: With a 5% CD or high-yield savings account, your $50,000 will accumulate $2,500 in interest in one year. 5.25% APY: A 5.25% CD or high-yield savings account will bring you $2,625 in interest within a year.
What is the best investment to make with $20000? ›
10 Best strategies to invest $20K
- Pay off debt. ...
- Build an emergency fund. ...
- Max out your retirement accounts. ...
- Invest in an index fund. ...
- Invest with a brokerage account. ...
- Invest with a robo-advisor. ...
- Invest in fine art. ...
- Invest in real estate.
The Best Ways To Double $20,000
- Invest In Real Estate.
- Start An Online Business.
- Invest In Stocks & ETFs.
- Invest In Small Businesses.
- Start A Service-Based Business.
- Try Crypto Investing.
- Retail Arbitrage.
- Lend Out Your Money.
Depositing $20,000 in a savings account is wise when you have a plan for the money, such as a near-term expense or rainy day fund. For long-term goals, like retirement, you might be better served by opening a brokerage account or certificate of deposit (CD).
What happens if you put $500 in a CD for 5 years? ›
For example, if you deposit $500 in a five-year CD that earns a 5.15% APY, your balance by the end of five years will be $642.71, earning you $142.71 in interest. However, if the interest rate is 3.25%, your earnings will only be $586.71, a difference of $56 in interest earnings.
Can you withdraw from a high-yield savings account? ›
Your best bet if you have extra cash is to put it in a high-yield savings account that can increase your savings but give you the option to withdraw the money if you need to. By law, consumers can withdraw or transfer cash out of a high-yield savings account up to six times per month without paying any fees.
Should I move all my money to a high-yield savings account? ›
There's no rule on the exact amount to have in your high-yield savings account. The amount of money you should store in these accounts depends on various factors. However, the general rule of thumb is that you should have liquid access to enough cash to cover between three and six months of your expenses.
How much is 5% interest on $20,000? ›
For example, if you take out a five-year loan for $20,000 and the interest rate on the loan is 5 percent, the simple interest formula would be $20,000 x .05 x 5 = $5,000 in interest.
How much money can I make with a high-yield savings account? ›
Shopping around for a top APY means you can earn 10 to 12 times more than the national average rate, which is less than half a percent. $5,000 in one of today's best high-yield savings accounts could earn as much as $136 in just six months—compared to about $11 with an average rate. Able to save more than that?
Is $20,000 good for savings? ›
Depositing $20,000 in a savings account is wise when you have a plan for the money, such as a near-term expense or rainy day fund. For long-term goals, like retirement, you might be better served by opening a brokerage account or certificate of deposit (CD).
How much will 50000 make in a high-yield savings account? ›
5% APY: With a 5% CD or high-yield savings account, your $50,000 will accumulate $2,500 in interest in one year. 5.25% APY: A 5.25% CD or high-yield savings account will bring you $2,625 in interest within a year.
