I thought it would be useful to have a list of all credit unions in which anyone can join. For most of these all-access credit unions, you can join an association and that will qualify you for membership into the credit union. All credit unions are required to have a field of membership which defines a common bond for members. When credit unions started, common bonds typically involved employers. This expanded to include community bonds in which anyone who lives or works in an area can qualify. Now many credit unions have fields of membership that include members of associations, and those associations can often be joined by anyone.
As you might expect, banks consider this as unfair competition since credit unions receive tax breaks. This 2010 New York Times article reported on this issue and the history of how large credit unions like PenFed evolved into an open membership. I'm more concerned with the massive size of the mega banks than I am with credit unions being unfair to the banks. The more competition we have, the more it helps savers, and as we all know, savers need all the help they can get in this awful interest rate environment.
The main reason to join a credit union that's not in your city is to take advantage of competitive banking products. Most of the all-access credit unions that I've reported on have offered competitive CD rates or reward checking accounts. Often the rates are better than what internet banks offer.
Like internet banks, many of these credit unions have online applications that make it easy to join. Also, the credit unions' online banking can make managing accounts easy without having to visit a branch. If you do need to visit a branch, many belong to the shared branch network. This allows you to conduct many banking transactions at any credit union in the network as if it were your own credit union.
The list is now updated daily. By default, the list is ordered based on asset size. Click the column title "Credit Unions" to order alphabetically or "Branches" to order based on the number of branches.
Click on the name of the credit union to visit our hub page for that credit union. The hub page lists all of my blog posts for that credit union. It also includes the credit union rate tables, financial health, branch locations and readers' reviews.
Under the credit union name is the city of its headquarters. Many of the credit unions have branches in multiple states. Click on the number of branches to see a map and listing of the branches.
Credit Union | Assets | Branches |
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 | PenFed Credit Union HQ: McLean, VA | $31.01B How you qualify | 44 |
 | Boeing Employees Credit Union (BECU) HQ: Tukwila, WA | $29.35B How you qualify | 64 |
 | Mountain America Credit Union HQ: Sandy, UT | $20.21B How you qualify | 108 |
 | Alliant Credit Union HQ: Chicago, IL | $19.54B How you qualify | 1 |
 | First Technology Federal Credit Union HQ: San Jose, CA | $17.37B How you qualify | 39 |
 | Lake Michigan Credit Union HQ: Grand Rapids, MI | $14.53B How you qualify | 77 |
 | FourLeaf Federal Credit Union HQ: Bethpage, NY | $13.37B How you qualify | 37 |
 | Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) HQ: Marlborough, MA | $12.64B How you qualify | 23 |
 | Teachers Federal Credit Union HQ: Hauppauge, NY | $9.86B How you qualify | 30 |
 | United Nations Federal Credit Union HQ: Long Island City, NY | $9.72B How you qualify | 3 |
 | Patelco Credit Union HQ: Dublin, CA | $9.41B How you qualify | 37 |
 | Wings Financial Credit Union HQ: Apple Valley, MN | $9.37B How you qualify | 34 |
 | Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union HQ: Harrisburg, PA | $8.72B How you qualify | 2 |
 | Bellco Credit Union HQ: Greenwood Village, CO | $8.59B How you qualify | 29 |
 | Michigan State University Federal Credit Union HQ: East Lansing, MI | $8.05B How you qualify | 35 |
 | Veridian Credit Union HQ: Waterloo, IA | $7.96B How you qualify | 32 |
 | Summit Credit Union (WI) HQ: Cottage Grove, WI | $7.46B How you qualify | 60 |
 | Kinecta Federal Credit Union HQ: Manhattan Beach, CA | $6.66B How you qualify | 27 |
 | NASA Federal Credit Union HQ: Upper Marlboro, MD | $5.52B How you qualify | 14 |
 | Langley Federal Credit Union HQ: Newport News, VA | $5.4B How you qualify | 20 |
 | Genisys Credit Union HQ: Auburn Hills, MI | $5.31B How you qualify | 32 |
 | American Heritage Credit Union HQ: Philadelphia, PA | $5.06B How you qualify | 33 |
 | Chevron Federal Credit Union HQ: Oakland, CA | $4.91B How you qualify | 19 |
 | Spectrum Credit Union HQ: Concord, CA | $4.91B How you qualify | 19 |
 | Technology Credit Union HQ: San Jose, CA | $4.77B How you qualify | 11 |
 | Jovia Financial Credit Union HQ: Westbury, NY | $4.54B How you qualify | 21 |
 | Credit Human HQ: San Antonio, TX | $4.35B How you qualify | 26 |
 | GECU HQ: El Paso, TX | $4.34B How you qualify | 29 |
 | Connexus Credit Union HQ: Wausau, WI | $4.33B How you qualify | 15 |
 | Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union HQ: Saint Paul, MN | $4.32B How you qualify | 32 |
 | Liberty Federal Credit Union HQ: Evansville, IN | $4.22B How you qualify | 34 |
 | United Federal Credit Union HQ: Saint Joseph, MI | $4.17B How you qualify | 45 |
 | Affinity Federal Credit Union HQ: Basking Ridge, NJ | $4.14B How you qualify | 22 |
 | Northwest Federal Credit Union HQ: Herndon, VA | $4.07B How you qualify | 12 |
 | Consumers Credit Union (IL) HQ: Gurnee, IL | $4.03B How you qualify | 22 |
 | University Federal Credit Union HQ: Austin, TX | $3.97B How you qualify | 27 |
 | CoVantage Credit Union HQ: Antigo, WI | $3.73B How you qualify | 20 |
 | Grow Financial Federal Credit Union HQ: Tampa, FL | $3.72B How you qualify | 27 |
 | UNIFY Financial Credit Union HQ: Allen, TX | $3.54B How you qualify | 47 |
 | Premier America Credit Union HQ: Chatsworth, CA | $3.4B How you qualify | 20 |
 | California Coast Credit Union HQ: San Diego, CA | $3.36B How you qualify | 28 |
 | All In Credit Union (AL) HQ: Daleville, AL | $3.35B How you qualify | 36 |
 | NuVision Federal Credit Union HQ: Huntington Beach, CA | $3.31B How you qualify | 22 |
 | USALLIANCE Financial HQ: Rye, NY | $3.2B How you qualify | 11 |
 | Chartway Federal Credit Union HQ: Virginia Beach, VA | $3.07B How you qualify | 41 |
 | EastRise Credit Union HQ: Williston, VT | $3.04B How you qualify | 18 |
 | GTE Financial HQ: Tampa, FL | $2.94B How you qualify | 25 |
 | State Department Federal Credit Union HQ: Alexandria, VA | $2.9B How you qualify | 6 |
 | Achieva Credit Union HQ: Dunedin, FL | $2.9B How you qualify | 28 |
 | AmeriCU HQ: Rome, NY | $2.75B How you qualify | 19 |
 | Pen Air Credit Union HQ: Pensacola, FL | $2.55B How you qualify | 12 |
 | Workers Credit Union HQ: Littleton, MA | $2.47B How you qualify | 16 |
 | Andrews Federal Credit Union HQ: Suitland, MD | $2.45B How you qualify | 17 |
 | Magnifi Financial HQ: Melrose, MN | $2.43B How you qualify | 28 |
 | Abound Credit Union HQ: Radcliff, KY | $2.4B How you qualify | 17 |
 | Advancial HQ: Dallas, TX | $2.4B How you qualify | 15 |
 | Dow Credit Union HQ: Midland, MI | $2.39B How you qualify | 2 |
 | Allegacy Federal Credit Union HQ: Winston Salem, NC | $2.36B How you qualify | 28 |
 | Hughes Federal Credit Union HQ: Tucson, AZ | $2.35B How you qualify | 7 |
 | Elements Financial HQ: Indianapolis, IN | $2.3B How you qualify | 5 |
 | Financial Partners Credit Union HQ: Downey, CA | $2.24B How you qualify | 14 |
 | Self-Help Federal Credit Union HQ: Durham, NC | $2.13B How you qualify | 38 |
 | Blue Federal Credit Union HQ: Cheyenne, WY | $2.13B How you qualify | 28 |
 | Lafayette Federal Credit Union HQ: Rockville, MD | $2B How you qualify | 9 |
 | Self-Help Credit Union HQ: Durham, NC | $1.98B How you qualify | 39 |
 | Alabama Credit Union HQ: Tuscaloosa, AL | $1.95B How you qualify | 37 |
 | SRP Federal Credit Union HQ: North Augusta, SC | $1.88B How you qualify | 19 |
 | Hanscom Federal Credit Union HQ: Hanscom Afb, MA | $1.82B How you qualify | 15 |
 | Premier Members Credit Union HQ: Boulder, CO | $1.81B How you qualify | 19 |
 | St. Mary's Bank HQ: Manchester, NH | $1.62B How you qualify | 12 |
 | Capital Educators Federal Credit Union HQ: Meridian, ID | $1.57B How you qualify | 12 |
 | Skyla Credit Union HQ: Charlotte, NC | $1.57B How you qualify | 19 |
 | United States Senate Federal Credit Union HQ: Alexandria, VA | $1.53B How you qualify | 4 |
 | Northrop Grumman Federal Credit Union HQ: Gardena, CA | $1.53B How you qualify | 28 |
 | Great Lakes Credit Union HQ: Bannockburn, IL | $1.49B How you qualify | 20 |
 | Farmers Insurance Federal Credit Union HQ: Burbank, CA | $1.44B How you qualify | 12 |
 | Pima Federal Credit Union HQ: Tucson, AZ | $1.28B How you qualify | 11 |
 | Sandia Area Federal Credit Union HQ: Albuquerque, NM | $1.25B How you qualify | 8 |
 | Orion Federal Credit Union HQ: Memphis, TN | $1.22B How you qualify | 11 |
 | BluPeak Credit Union HQ: San Diego, CA | $1.21B How you qualify | 6 |
 | Notre Dame Federal Credit Union HQ: Notre Dame, IN | $1.19B How you qualify | 12 |
 | Salal Credit Union HQ: Seattle, WA | $1.18B How you qualify | 5 |
 | Quorum Federal Credit Union HQ: Purchase, NY | $1.13B How you qualify | 1 |
 | REV Federal Credit Union HQ: Summerville, SC | $1.11B How you qualify | 18 |
 | Vibrant Credit Union HQ: Moline, IL | $1.1B How you qualify | 6 |
 | Justice Federal Credit Union HQ: Chantilly, VA | $1.06B How you qualify | 20 |
 | Latino Credit Union HQ: Durham, NC | $1.05B How you qualify | 16 |
 | Utah First Federal Credit Union HQ: Salt Lake City, UT | $1.05B How you qualify | 11 |
 | Ideal Credit Union HQ: Woodbury, MN | $1.04B How you qualify | 6 |
 | Velocity Credit Union HQ: Austin, TX | $1.03B How you qualify | 7 |
 | Marine Federal Credit Union HQ: Jacksonville, NC | $1.01B How you qualify | 14 |
 | Mirastar Federal Credit Union HQ: San Jose, CA | $962.8MM How you qualify | 7 |
 | Fortera Credit Union HQ: Clarksville, TN | $872.7MM How you qualify | 8 |
 | CBC Federal Credit Union HQ: Oxnard, CA | $865.7MM How you qualify | 4 |
 | Greenwood Credit Union HQ: Warwick, RI | $865.5MM How you qualify | 2 |
 | Department Of Commerce Federal Credit Union HQ: Washington, DC | $854.4MM How you qualify | 2 |
 | Communitywide Federal Credit Union HQ: South Bend, IN | $837.2MM How you qualify | 11 |
 | Sun East Federal Credit Union HQ: Aston, PA | $836.7MM How you qualify | 6 |
 | Zeal Credit Union HQ: Livonia, MI | $825.4MM How you qualify | 14 |
 | Corporate America Family Credit Union HQ: Elgin, IL | $825.2MM How you qualify | 21 |
 | True Sky Credit Union HQ: Oklahoma City, OK | $813MM How you qualify | 14 |
 | NIH Federal Credit Union HQ: Rockville, MD | $793.4MM How you qualify | 5 |
 | Thrivent Federal Credit Union HQ: Appleton, WI | $788.4MM How you qualify | 1 |
 | Superior Choice Credit Union HQ: Superior, WI | $769.8MM How you qualify | 12 |
 | Bayer Heritage Federal Credit Union HQ: Proctor, WV | $769.2MM How you qualify | 11 |
 | La Capitol Federal Credit Union HQ: Baton Rouge, LA | $765.4MM How you qualify | 15 |
 | People's Credit Union HQ: Middletown, RI | $747MM How you qualify | 6 |
 | Pelican State Credit Union HQ: Baton Rouge, LA | $725.1MM How you qualify | 19 |
 | America's Credit Union HQ: DuPont, WA | $696.9MM How you qualify | 11 |
 | Oklahoma Central Credit Union HQ: Tulsa, OK | $686.9MM How you qualify | 8 |
 | INOVA Federal Credit Union HQ: Elkhart, IN | $682.9MM How you qualify | 6 |
 | Hope Federal Credit Union HQ: Jackson, MS | $682.8MM How you qualify | 26 |
 | Dover Federal Credit Union HQ: Dover, DE | $677.4MM How you qualify | 9 |
 | American 1 Credit Union HQ: Jackson, MI | $660.9MM How you qualify | 16 |
 | Fort Liberty Federal Credit Union HQ: Fort Bragg, NC | $645.7MM How you qualify | 6 |
 | Financial Resources Federal Credit Union HQ: Bridgewater, NJ | $616.2MM How you qualify | 10 |
 | Soarion Credit Union HQ: San Antonio, TX | $614MM How you qualify | 8 |
 | Spectra Credit Union HQ: Alexandria, VA | $590MM How you qualify | 4 |
 | Securityplus Federal Credit Union HQ: Baltimore, MD | $551.7MM How you qualify | 5 |
 | Partners 1St Federal Credit Union HQ: Fort Wayne, IN | $536.6MM How you qualify | 22 |
 | OUCU Financial Credit Union HQ: Athens, OH | $504.5MM How you qualify | 4 |
 | Credit Union Of New Jersey HQ: Ewing, NJ | $464.8MM How you qualify | 4 |
 | Southeast Financial Credit Union HQ: Franklin, TN | $457.3MM How you qualify | 12 |
 | Signature Federal Credit Union HQ: Alexandria, VA | $444MM How you qualify | 1 |
 | Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union HQ: Tampa, FL | $442.1MM How you qualify | 5 |
 | Wheelhouse Credit Union HQ: San Diego, CA | $441.6MM How you qualify | 4 |
 | First Community Credit Union (WI) HQ: Beloit, WI | $373.3MM How you qualify | 7 |
 | Matadors Community Credit Union HQ: Chatsworth, CA | $360.7MM How you qualify | 1 |
 | AgFed Credit Union HQ: Washington, DC | $352.5MM How you qualify | 3 |
 | Pasadena Federal Credit Union HQ: Pasadena, CA | $351.5MM How you qualify | 6 |
 | Library Of Congress Federal Credit Union HQ: Washington, DC | $331.7MM How you qualify | 1 |
 | Transportation Federal Credit Union HQ: Alexandria, VA | $306.3MM How you qualify | 3 |
 | Interior Federal Credit Union HQ: Washington, DC | $282MM How you qualify | 2 |
 | MTC Federal Credit Union HQ: Greenville, SC | $271.6MM How you qualify | 8 |
 | U S Postal Service Federal Credit Union HQ: Clinton, MD | $269.2MM How you qualify | 6 |
 | Western Vista Federal Credit Union HQ: Cheyenne, WY | $251.3MM How you qualify | 5 |
 | First Flight Federal Credit Union HQ: Cary, NC | $249.1MM How you qualify | 6 |
 | Expedition Credit Union HQ: Mendota Heights, MN | $227.6MM How you qualify | 3 |
 | SunWest HQ: Pueblo, CO | $215.5MM How you qualify | 3 |
 | Oklahoma Community Credit Union HQ: Stillwater, OK | $212.1MM How you qualify | 2 |
 | Parda Federal Credit Union HQ: Auburn Hills, MI | $207.2MM How you qualify | 8 |
 | Puerto Rico Federal Credit Union HQ: Caparra, PR | $193.8MM How you qualify | 4 |
 | Xcel Federal Credit Union HQ: Bloomfield, NJ | $186.3MM How you qualify | 3 |
 | Princeton Federal Credit Union HQ: Princeton, NJ | $171.4MM How you qualify | 2 |
 | Market USA Federal Credit Union HQ: Laurel, MD | $134.8MM How you qualify | 2 |
 | Credit Union Of The Rockies HQ: Golden, CO | $108.6MM How you qualify | 4 |
 | Pinnacle Federal Credit Union HQ: Edison, NJ | $94.6MM How you qualify | 2 |
 | Taleris Credit Union HQ: Seven Hills, OH | $64.2MM How you qualify | 2 |
 | Vision Financial Federal Credit Union HQ: Durham, NC | $56.6MM How you qualify | 3 |
Credit unions are constantly changing their fields of membership (FOMs). If you don't see a credit union on the list that makes it easy for anyone to qualify for membership, please let us know. The best way is by posting this news about the credit union in our bank promotions forum.
It is also possible that credit unions will make changes to their FOMs that will eliminate ways for everyone to qualify. I've seen several cases in which credit unions added state-residency requirements to association membership requirements. Also, I've seen cases in which credit unions have removed associations from their FOMs. If you see that a credit union on this list has added restrictions on new members, please let us know.
It should also be noted that some all-access credit unions may not allow all members to open certain accounts. Some accounts like IRAs and business accounts may require a branch visit. Also, there may be some popular account that is limited to certain members.