APY Range
0.01% to 4.25% (promo)
Short answer
PNC's best CD rate on October 3, 2026 is 4.25% APY on the 13-month promotional CD, then 3.75% on the 7-month and 3.50% on the 4-month, all with a $1,000 minimum (ZIP 15222; rates vary by ZIP). Standard PNC CDs pay just 0.01% to 0.03% APY at every term from 1 month to 10 years, and a promotional CD renews into a standard CD at maturity unless you move the money.
PNC posts two CD rate sheets: promotional fixed terms and standard terms. These are the rates pnc.com showed on October 3, 2026 for ZIP 15222, on balances of $1,000 and up:
| Term | Interest rate | APY |
|---|---|---|
| 4 months (promotional) | 3.45% | 3.50% |
| 7 months (promotional) | 3.69% | 3.75% |
| 9 months (promotional) | 2.23% | 2.25% |
| 13 months (promotional) | 4.17% | 4.25% |
| 19 months (promotional) | 2.47% | 2.50% |
| 25 months (promotional) | 2.67% | 2.70% |
| 37 months (promotional) | 2.77% | 2.80% |
| 61 months (promotional) | 2.96% | 3.00% |
| 1 to 120 months (standard) | 0.02% to 0.03% | 0.02% to 0.03% |
Source: PNC Bank CD rate sheet (pnc.com, "All rates and APYs are accurate as of 10/3/2026"), ZIP 15222. Standard CDs pay 0.02% from $1,000 to $24,999.99 and 0.03% from $25,000; the $1 to $999.99 tier (0.01%) is for renewals only. Your ZIP may show different rates.
Yes. PNC asks for your home ZIP before it shows a rate sheet and says product and feature availability varies by location. The table above is Pittsburgh (15222). If you live outside PNC's branch footprint, enter your own ZIP on pnc.com before you compare, because a promotional term offered in one market can be missing or priced lower in another.
It renews into a standard CD unless you act. PNC's disclosure says a 4, 7, 9, 13, 19, 25, 37 or 61 month promotional CD converts at maturity to the standard term closest to but not longer than the promo term (3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36 or 60 months), at the standard rate. On October 3, 2026 that standard rate was 0.03% APY. A 13-month CD at 4.25% therefore rolls into a 12-month CD paying 0.03% if you miss the grace window.
About $4,600 over 13 months in the 4.25% APY promotional CD, versus about $30 a year in a standard 12-month CD at 0.03%. For comparison, the best nationally available 1-year CDs paid 4.35% to 4.50% APY (DepositAccounts, September 25, 2026) and 52-week Treasury bills yielded 4.48% (coupon equivalent, U.S. Treasury, September 25, 2026), and Treasury interest is exempt from state income tax. See how Treasury bills work and the best CD rates by term.
From my desk: Hans Goldstein, licensed insurance producer (NPN 20602398)
When someone brings me a PNC promotional CD, the first thing I check is not the rate. It is the maturity date and what the CD turns into. PNC's own disclosure says the promo converts to a standard CD at the standard rate, which was 0.03% on October 3, 2026. I have people put a reminder 10 days before maturity, because the bank does the renewal for you and the default is the low rate.
The second thing I check is the term. PNC's strong rate is on 13 months. Its 61-month promo pays 3.00%. For money that can sit five years, I put that next to an A-rated 5-year MYGA, which paid about 5.50% to 6.05% on October 14, 2026 (public carrier rate sheets).
Example (about 5 years, $250,000, before taxes): 3.00% grows to about $285,100; 5.50% grows to about $326,700, roughly $36,900 more. A MYGA rate is guaranteed by the issuing insurer and backed by its claims-paying ability, not the FDIC, and it has surrender charges, so it fits money you will not need before the term ends. Compare both on the CD vs MYGA page.
PNC operates ~2,400 branches concentrated east of the Mississippi. Branch overhead, regional marketing, and the BBVA US integration costs (acquired 2021) keep deposit costs elevated. The Featured CDs are PNC's customer-acquisition tool; the Standard CDs are what the bank actually wants to pay over the long run.
A megabank branch costs roughly $1 to 2M per year to operate (real estate, staffing, security, utilities, IT, compliance). Multiply across thousands of branches and the bank’s effective cost of deposits is 2 to 3% before paying you a dime. An online bank with zero branches can pass nearly that entire spread back to depositors as APY. That’s why in late September 2026, Marcus, Ally, Synchrony and Capital One 360 paid 3.90-4.15% on 1-year CDs while megabank standard CDs pay close to zero.
If branch access isn’t critical for you, these alternatives currently pay materially more on the same FDIC-insured deposit:
For a 30+ bank comparison at the 5-year point, see Best 5-Year CD Rates 2026.
A Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuity (MYGA) is the insurance-industry equivalent of a CD: lock a fixed rate for a fixed term, with no market loss on principal; the guarantee rests on the insurer’s claims-paying ability rather than the FDIC. The pricing gap vs. a megabank CD is dramatic.
Math at $250,000 over about 5 years (before taxes):
MYGAs also defer tax on interest until withdrawal. CDs are taxed annually as ordinary income whether you touch the interest or not. The trade-off: MYGAs have a fixed surrender schedule (usually with 10%/yr free withdrawal); CDs have shorter penalty periods. For taxable retirement money you don’t plan to touch for the full term, the MYGA usually comes out ahead. See CD vs MYGA Comparison.
On October 3, 2026 (ZIP 15222), PNC paid 4.25% APY on the 13-month promotional CD, 3.75% on 7 months, 3.50% on 4 months and 3.00% on 61 months. Standard CDs paid 0.01% to 0.03%. Rates vary by ZIP code.
The October 3, 2026 rate sheet for ZIP 15222 lists the promotional CDs with a $1,000 minimum and does not show a checking requirement. PNC has tied relationship rates to checking in the past, so ask at opening.
Yes. PNC Bank, N.A. is FDIC-insured (Cert #6384) to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category.
$1,000 to open a promotional or standard CD (pnc.com, October 3, 2026). The $1 to $999.99 tier applies to renewals only.
Varies: 90 days interest for CDs under 12 months; 180 days for 12-23 months; 365 days for 24+ month CDs.
No. PNC's disclosure says no withdrawals without penalty in the first seven days and no partial withdrawals. Ally and Marcus sell no-penalty CDs; see Ally's no-penalty CD.
On rate, usually yes: about 5.50% to 6.05% for A-rated 5-year MYGAs (October 14, 2026) versus 3.00% on PNC's 61-month promo. On $250,000 that is roughly $36,900 more over five years before taxes. MYGAs defer tax but carry surrender charges and are backed by the insurer, not the FDIC.
This review reflects PNC’s posted rates for ZIP 15222 as of 2026-10-03. CD rates change frequently. Confirm current rates directly with PNC Bank before opening an account. This article is general information for educational purposes; it is not a personalized recommendation, solicitation, or offer of any specific banking or insurance product. PNC Bank is FDIC-insured to the limits stated; coverage is per depositor, per ownership category. Hans Goldstein is an independent licensed insurance producer (NPN 20602398) appointed with multiple A-rated annuity carriers; he is NOT a bank employee, broker-dealer, or registered representative, and is not paid by PNC Bank for this review. No compensation has been received from PNC Bank in connection with this content. MYGA comparisons reference rates from A-rated carriers as of the date stated; carrier rates change monthly. Always read the actual CD disclosure or annuity contract before purchasing.
Hans Goldstein is an Enrolled Agent, admitted to practice before the Internal Revenue Service. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the IRS. General education, not tax or legal advice for your situation.