The sooner you open a CD, the higher the APY you're likely to get -- and the greater your earning potential could be.

Certificate of deposit rates are on the way down, but there's still time to maximize your earning potential.

You can earn up to 4.75% annual percentage yield, or APY, with today's best CDs. And since your APY is locked in when you open an account, your returns will stay the same even if overall rates drop further. And, according to experts, they're likely to continue dropping. That means the sooner you open a CD, the more interest you stand to earn.

Read on to see where you can score one of today's best APYs.

These are some of the highest CD rates today and how much you could earn by depositing $5,000 right now:

Experts recommend comparing rates before opening a CD account to get the best APY possible. Enter your information below to get CNET's partners' best rate for your area.

Last month, the Fed cut the federal funds rate for the first time since 2020, and CD rates have plummeted as a result.

The Fed regularly adjusts the federal funds rate to keep the US economy in check. When inflation is high, it raises this rate to discourage borrowing, lower consumer spending and drive prices down. This rate determines how much it costs banks to borrow and lend money to each other. So, when the Fed raises this rate, banks typically raise APYs on consumer products like CDs and savings accounts to attract new customers and boost their cash flow. When it lowers this rate, banks lower their APYs, too.

Beginning in March 2022, the central bank raised the federal funds rate 11 times to combat record inflation, and CD rates took off -- reaching as high as 5.65% APY for the top CDs we track at CNET. As inflation began cooling, the Fed held rates steady eight times in a row starting in September 2023, and APYs largely held steady, too.

As inflation continued to cool and banks anticipated a Fed rate cut, they started dropping APYs across terms. APYs fell slowly at first, but the pace has picked up since the Fed's September rate cut.

Here's where CD rates stood at the start of this week compared to the start of last week:

All signs point to the downward trend continuing.

"By the end of the year, we may see an additional 50 basis points in cuts, likely split between a quarter-point reduction in both November and December," said Faron Daugs, CFP, founder and CEO at Harrison Wallace Financial Group. "With these declines in interest rates, CD and money market rates will also continue to fall."

If you were considering opening a CD, now's the time to lock in a high rate before APYs fall further.

A competitive APY is important when comparing CD accounts, but it's not the only thing you should look at. To find the right account for you, consider these things too:

CNET reviews CD rates based on the latest APY information from issuer websites. We evaluated CD rates from more than 50 banks, credit unions and financial companies. We evaluate CDs based on APYs, product offerings, accessibility and customer service.

The current banks included in CNET's weekly CD averages include Alliant Credit Union, Ally Bank, American Express National Bank, Barclays, Bask Bank, Bread Savings, Capital One, CFG Bank, CIT, Fulbright, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, MYSB Direct, Quontic, Rising Bank, Synchrony, EverBank, Popular Bank, First Internet Bank of Indiana, America First Federal Credit Union, CommunityWide Federal Credit Union, Discover, Bethpage, BMO Alto, Limelight Bank, First National Bank of America and Connexus Credit Union.