Just graduated college? Here are 4 bank accounts to put your money before real life hits

Graduation is the start of a new financial chapter. Between your first paycheck, first apartment and new bills, where you keep your money matters more than ever. The right checking or savings account can help you earn more on your balance, avoid unnecessary fees and get the most out of the money you’ve earned from internships, side gigs and summer jobs. Here’s where to start.

Who’s this for? If you think you might end up at a new city, a new state or right back home, having a checking account that travels with you matters. The Capital One 360 Checking delivers on that with nearly 750 branches, over 2,000 in-network ATMs and no foreign transaction fees. You can withdraw money daily at an ATM or at a branch, and send money to people in minutes through services like Zelle.

Standout benefits: There are no account minimums and no overdraft charges, and you don’t need a deposit to open an account. Just be sure you fund it within 60 days, otherwise it’ll be closed. Daily spending is capped at $5,000 for card purchases and withdrawals, with ATM withdrawals limited to $1,000 per day.

Who’s this for? If you like the idea of having your checking and savings accounts at the same bank, the SoFi Checking and Savings offers interest on both, which isn’t something you see often. New members can also score up to a $400 cash bonus just for setting up direct deposit, which is a no-brainer once you land your first job anyway.

Standout benefits: There are no account, overdraft, minimum balance or monthly fees, and your paycheck hits up to two days early. SoFi also gives you fee-free access to over 55,000 ATMs through the Allpoint Network and no limits on transfers between your checking and savings accounts.

Who’s this for? If you want an account that doesn’t charge fees that eat into your savings, Marcus by Goldman Sachs is worth considering. There are no monthly fees, no minimum deposit requirements and no limits on withdrawals or transfers, so you’re not locked into anything.

Standout benefits: You can move money in and out through transfers, direct deposit, wire transfers or even the mobile app. Just keep in mind that Marcus is savings only, so there’s no ATM card or checking account option, meaning you’ll want to keep a separate checking account for everyday spending. The app also makes it easy to set up recurring deposits and track your savings goals, and if you ever need help, there’s a U.S.-based customer support team available seven days a week by phone or chat.

Who’s this for? If you’re just starting to build your savings, Varo makes it easy to get going with no minimum deposit and just $0.01 to start earning interest. All account holders earn a solid rate but if you’re willing to put in a little effort, you can bump that up to 5% by making at least five debit card purchases, setting up direct deposit of $1,000 or more and keeping your savings balance under $5,000 each month.

Standout benefits: Varo also has two automatic savings features that do the heavy lifting for you. Save Your Pay transfers a percentage of your paycheck straight into savings, and Save Your Change rounds up every debit card purchase to the nearest dollar and moves the difference over. It’s the kind of thing you set up once and barely notice but it adds up.

Subscribe to the CNBC Select Newsletter!

Money matters —so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox.Sign up here.

AtCNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every banking article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of personal finance and banking products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

Catch up on CNBC Select’s in-depth coverage ofcredit cards,bankingandmoney, and follow us onTikTok,Facebook,InstagramandXto stay up to date.

To determine the best checking and savings accounts for new grads, CNBC Select compared accounts from brick-and-mortar banks, credit unions and online banks.

We narrowed our picks to accounts with no monthly maintenance fees, low or no minimum balance requirements and, where applicable, competitive interest rates.

We compared each account across a range of features, including ease of use, ATM and branch accessibility, customer service and sign-up bonuses. We also considered each account’s deposit and withdrawal options, as well as how easily it fits into a new grad’s day-to-day life, from direct deposit to mobile access.