Sallie Mae Bank: Savings Account & Rates

By Aviel Fahl

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Updated: 1/7/2026

Mission: Banksparency aims to make Sallie Mae Bank's savings account transparent and comparable to the market.

Interest rates reported as APY

Savings Overview

High-Yield Savings Account

3.90% APY
Very StableNo rate changes in last 90 days
No Minimums Online Only
Min. Deposit$0
Min. Balance$0
Maintenance Fee$0
Rank #30 of 102 tracked.

Market Reality Check

This bank offers rates below the current top tier. The best rates we track are currently above 4.21% APY.

See Top Rates

Also see affiliated bank: SmartyPig

View products
National Avg: 0.39% (FDIC, 12/15/2025).
Banksparency tracks live rates daily.

Bank Overview

  • HQ LocationNewark, Delaware
  • Founded2005
  • AffiliationSallie Mae Bank is a subsidiary of SLM Corporation
  • Zelle® SupportNo Support
    Standard ACH or Wire transfers only.
  • Deposit InsuranceFDIC Insured(Cert: 58177)

Our Take on Sallie Mae Bank

The Good

  • Decent APY of 3.90%
  • No minimum deposit or balance requirements
  • No monthly maintenance fees

Considerations

  • No physical branch access (online only)
  • Poorly rated mobile apps on both platforms (iOS: 1.5, Android: 1.6)
Verdict

Sallie Mae Bank offers a High-Yield Savings Account with an attractive APY of 3.90%. This account features no minimum deposit or balance requirements and does not charge monthly maintenance fees. Additionally, there are no direct deposit requirements, making it accessible for various users. However, it is important to note that the bank operates online only, lacking physical branch access, and its mobile apps have received poor ratings (iOS: 1.5, Android: 1.6).

Top Market Contenders

Ally Bank
3.30% APY
Discover Bank
3.40% APY
SoFi Bank
4.00% APY

Savings Account: In-Depth View

Savings Account Offered by Sallie Mae Bank

Feature
High-Yield Savings Account
APY
3.90%Verified: 1/7/2026
APY Trend
Very StableNo rate changes in last 90 days
Min. Deposit
$0
Min. Balance
$0
Monthly Fee
$0
Direct Deposit
None
Checking Bundle
No
Branch Access
None
Compounding
Daily
FDIC Insured
Yes
Eligibility
United States
Next Steps-

Calculate Savings for Sallie Mae Bank

All calculations are based on APY.
High-Yield Savings Account3.90% APY
$
$

Savings Breakdown

  • Interest Earned
    +$1,526.90(9.8%)
  • Total Contributions
    $13,000
  • Initial Deposit
    $1,000

Projected Balance

$15,526.90

Effective APY
3.90%

The Banksparency Savings Calculator provides estimated savings growth based on user input and our latest data.

Sallie Mae Bank Savings Rates Over Time

Historical APY Insights

Last 11 Months
MetricHigh-Yield Savings Account
Latest APY
3.90%
Trend
Sideways
Slope (bps/mo)
-0.1
Rate Changes / Mo
0.09
Days Since Last Change
341
High (-11m)
4.00%
Low (-11m)
3.90%
Draw-down
-2.5%
Volatility (CV)
0.004
How to read these metrics
Trends & Velocity
Trend
The general direction of the rate over the analyzed period. Useful for spotting if a bank is currently aggressive or pulling back.
Slope (bps/mo)
Speed of change. A high positive number means they raise rates quickly. 10 bps = 0.10%.
Rate Changes / Mo
"Twitchiness." High frequency means the rate changes constantly; low frequency means it's stable.
Risk & Range
High/Low
The absolute ceiling and floor of the rate during the 350-day window.
Volatility Score
Lower is better for predictability. It indicates how wildly the rate swings relative to its average.
Days Since Change
If this number is high (e.g., >90), the rate is very sticky. If low, it changed recently.

Why track this? Understanding volatility helps you avoid "bait-and-switch" rates. A steady, rising slope is ideal; high volatility often signals a temporary teaser rate.

Compare with Sallie Mae Bank

Feature
Current View
Sallie Mae Bank
Empty Slot
ProductHigh-Yield Savings Account-
APY
3.90%Verified: 1/7/2026
-
APY Trend
Very StableNo rate changes in last 90 days
-
Min. Deposit$0-
Monthly Fee$0-
Direct Deposit
No-
Checking Bundle
No-
Branch AccessNone-
Eligibility United States-
Compounding
Daily-
FDIC Insured
Yes-
Next Steps--

Bank-to-Bank Comparisons

Compare Sallie Mae Bank's APY of 3.90% with other banks
Bank PairCompetitor APYMin Deposit
Sallie Mae Bank vs Affirm3.20%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Ally Bank3.30%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs American Express3.30%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Axos Bank4.31%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Bank of America0.01%$100
Sallie Mae Bank vs Barclays4.00%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Bask Bank3.75%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Betterment3.25%$10
Sallie Mae Bank vs BMO Alto3.25%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Bread Savings4.05%$100
Sallie Mae Bank vs BrioDirect3.75%$5,000
Sallie Mae Bank vs Capital One3.40%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Carver Bank4.00%$5,000
Sallie Mae Bank vs Charles Schwab Bank0.15%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Chase Bank0.01%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Chime3.50%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs CIT Bank3.75%$100
Sallie Mae Bank vs Citibank3.30%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Citizens Access™3.15%$0.01
Sallie Mae Bank vs Climate First Bank4.21%$50
Sallie Mae Bank vs Colorado Federal Savings Bank4.05%$50,000
Sallie Mae Bank vs Discover Bank3.40%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley3.50%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Elevault3.82%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs EverBank3.90%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Fitness Bank4.75%$100
Sallie Mae Bank vs FNBO Direct3.00%$1
Sallie Mae Bank vs Forbright Bank4.00%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs FVCbank3.85%$500
Sallie Mae Bank vs GO2bank4.50%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Ivy Bank4.10%$2,500
Sallie Mae Bank vs Jenius Bank4.05%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs LendingClub4.00%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Marcus by Goldman Sachs3.65%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs MutualOne Bank4.07%$20,000
Sallie Mae Bank vs My Banking Direct4.02%$500
Sallie Mae Bank vs Neighbors Bank4.30%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Newtek Bank4.35%$0.01
Sallie Mae Bank vs Openbank4.20%$500
Sallie Mae Bank vs Peak Bank3.99%$100
Sallie Mae Bank vs Pibank4.60%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs PNC3.30%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Popular Direct3.90%$100
Sallie Mae Bank vs Presidential Bank3.75%$5,000
Sallie Mae Bank vs Quontic Bank3.50%$100
Sallie Mae Bank vs Salem Five Direct3.61%$10
Sallie Mae Bank vs Santander Bank0.01%$25
Sallie Mae Bank vs SoFi Bank4.00%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Synchrony Bank3.65%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs TD Bank2.60%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs TIMBR4.40%$1,000
Sallie Mae Bank vs UFB Direct3.46%$5000
Sallie Mae Bank vs Upgrade3.05%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Valley Direct4.00%$1,000
Sallie Mae Bank vs Varo Bank5.00%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Vio Bank4.09%$100
Sallie Mae Bank vs Wealthfront3.90%$0
Sallie Mae Bank vs Wells Fargo0.05%$25
Sallie Mae Bank vs Zynlo Bank3.85%$10

Alternatives to Sallie Mae Bank

Banks with Higher/Similar Savings APY

For a top list of the highest savings rates, see all HYSA top rates

Barclays

Tiered Savings: 4.00% APY

Minimum Deposit: $0

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Climate First Bank

Super Duper Savings Account: 4.21% APY

Minimum Deposit: $50

SoFi Bank

SoFi Savings: 4.00% APY

Bundled Savings & Checking Account

Minimum Deposit: $0

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Newtek Bank

Personal High Yield Savings: 4.35% APY

Minimum Deposit: $0.01

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Carver Bank

High Yield Savings: 4.00% APY

Minimum Deposit: $5,000

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Wealthfront

Cash Account: 3.90% APY

Minimum Deposit: $0

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Colorado Federal Savings Bank

High Yield Savings: 4.00% APY

Minimum Deposit: $1

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Premier Savings: 4.05% APY

Minimum Deposit: $50,000

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Evergreen Bank Group

High-Yield Online Savings: 4.25% APY (Inactive)

Minimum Deposit: $100

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Varo Bank

High-Yield Savings Account: 5.00% APY

Bundled Savings & Checking Account

Minimum Deposit: $0

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Direct Deposit: Min. $1,000/month

My Banking Direct

High Yield Savings Account: 4.02% APY

Minimum Deposit: $500

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Vio Bank

Online Savings Account: 4.09% APY

Minimum Deposit: $100

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Peak Bank

Envision High Yield Savings: 3.99% APY

Minimum Deposit: $100

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