And if you already have a student card, now could be a good time to upgrade to a new card that's better suited for the needs of your post-grad life. Pairing easy rewards with no annual fee, these cards can ensure you’re not … Who's this for? The Discover it card is certainly one of the best credit cards for recent college graduates with a great balance of fees, cardholder benefits, and rewards. 1% cash back on eligible purchases right away and up to 1.5% cash back after making 12 on-time monthly payments; 2% to 10% cash back from select merchants. One of the best ways to lower your interest rate is to transfer your balance to a credit card with a 0% intro-APR. CNBC Select used this budget to estimate how much the average consumer would save over the course of a year, two years and five years, assuming they would attempt to maximize their rewards potential by earning all welcome bonuses offered and using the card for all applicable purchases. The best credit card for graduate students is the Bank of America® Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students because it gives an initial bonus of $200 for spending $1,000 in the first 90 days, along with a 1 - 3% cash back rate on purchases, and has a $0 annual fee. Before you apply for any of the cards below, check your credit score. In most cases, credit-building cards require a security deposit of at least $300 and only match your initial credit limit to what you contribute. If you have no credit history or bad credit, you can start off with a secured card or a card that doesn't check your credit report. Our first choice is the Petal 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa Credit Card, issued by WebBank Member FDIC. Adults between the ages of 18 and 21 now have to show a means to repay a loan before they can be granted a new line of credit. Once you get out of college and start your career, upgrade to a feature-packed credit card that not only leverages your finances, but also offers money-saving rewards. A student credit card caters for college and university students who don't have the income and credit score needed to be approved for a normal credit card. This could help you to access cheaper credit in future. This card also provides the chance to get a higher credit limit (with no additional deposit) after you make your first five monthly payments on time. Student credit cards usually have lower credit limits, higher APRs and they tend to offer fewer rewards. Performance & security by Cloudflare, Please complete the security check to access. Chase Freedom® Student credit card: Best for DoorDash and Lyft; Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students: Best for International Students Plus, cardholders can earn 1% cash back on eligible purchases right away, which can increase up to 1.5% cash back after making 12 consecutive, on-time monthly payments. Who's this for? If you're in graduate school, it may be time to ditch that college student credit card for one that offers better incentives and perks. BMO CashBack Mastercard, CIBC Dividend Visa for Students — Best for cash back; BMO Air Miles Mastercard — Best for Air Miles Student Credit Cards of April 2021Chase Freedom® Student credit card: Best feature: Flat-rate cash back rewards. The Capital One Secured Mastercard is unlike other secured cards that require a minimum $200 security deposit. Don't miss: What to do if you have no credit after college. Flexibility to change your payment due date, After you apply and submit your deposit, it takes 2-3 weeks to get your card, Capital One periodically reviews your account to see if you can be transitioned to an unsecured card, but unlike the Discover it® Secured Card there’s no clear timeline for when this will occur, Redeem cash back at anytime and for any amount, Access a higher credit limit after making your first five monthly payments on time, 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months from the date of account opening, Cash back comes in the form of a statement credit (with a minimum redemption of $25), Simple cash-back program that doesn't require activation or spending caps, One of the longest intro periods for balance transfers at 18 months, No welcome bonus, so you can’t maximize rewards during the first few months of card opening. Discover it Student chromeis among the best student credit cards around. While the five-year estimates we've included are derived from a budget similar to the average American's spending, you may earn a higher or lower return depending on your shopping habits. If you have a good credit score and want to earn cash back while benefiting from special financing offers, the American Express Cash Magnet® Card is a great choice. We will start with the all-purpose card that should be right for students who are looking to get a start in the world of credit – Discover’s Discover it Student credit card. This helps you narrow down the cards you may qualify for and makes the decision process a bit easier. If that's you, don't think rewards cards are out of reach. You're ready to enter adulthood armed with a degree from college, you've got a few job prospects and life feels pretty sweet. The best student credit cards in Canada 2021. Check out the best credit cards for fair and average credit. The best student credit cards help young adults build credit, learn good spending habits, and even reap rewards for good grades in college. • Completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to the web property. For rates and fees of the American Express Cash Magnet® Card, click here. The Credit One Bank® Visa® Credit Card is a bit unique with credit-building cards. Recent grads who didn't have a credit card in college or who don't currently have any information on their credit reports need a card for people just starting out. Discover it Student. Citi Rewards+ Student Card - Best for Points Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students - Best for No Credit History Discover it® Student Cash Back - Best for Cash Back Discover it® Student chrome - Best for Restaurants and Gas Moreover, you will be able to earn 1% unlimited cash back on other purchases. Check out our list of best credit cards for college graduates. We also considered additional perks, the application process and how easy it is for the consumer to redeem points. To determine which credit cards offer the best value, CNBC Select analyzed popular credit cards available in the U.S. We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards, welcome bonus, introductory and standard APR, balance transfer fee and foreign transaction fees, as well as factors such as required credit and customer reviews when available. Best Credit Cards for Recent Graduates. No fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S. One answer might be to try a credit builder card. While student credit cards don’t typically offer the best rewards or the highest credit limits, they can be upgraded to better cards at a later time when your credit score is higher. Esri's data team created a sample annual budget of approximately $22,126 in retail spending. Other Great Credit Cards For Grad Students Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express. This can be helpful if you need to transfer debt from another non-Citi card. CNBC Select analyzed 13 college student credit cards, digging into each card's perks and drawbacks, to find the best of the best based on your spending habits. Graduate students with good credit or better … • Grads who started building credit late in college or are recovering from mistakes they made when they were younger may now have a fair/average credit score. Plus you can earn a $150 statement credit after you spend $1,000 in purchases in your first three months from account opening, which is a nice added perk if you can reasonably meet the requirements. Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card If you have bad credit, the card options you have to choose from are typically limited. Best . You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. We may receive a commission from affiliate partner links. Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, Earn a $150 statement credit after you spend $1,000 in purchases in your first 3 months, 0% for the first 15 months on purchases, N/A for balance transfers. This provides you with over a year to pay off new purchases. The Discover it® Student Cash Back is our top pick for a student card because of the high value it provides students. If you have a history of paying your other bills on time, or if your bank account shows regular income, Petal will consider this in your application. This is a great way to encourage timely payments, which is the most important factor of your credit score. With this in mind, four out of the five cards we recommend below have no annual fee. So we will explore the 10 best credit cards for students in 2019 and consider a wide variety of purposes and goals that are best suited for the individual situation. Worse, many students graduated saddled with thousands of dollars in credit card debt. The Petal 2 Visa Credit Card doesn't set credit requirements, so if you have no credit history you could qualify for this card over alternatives. Best credit cards for college students in 2021. Recent college graduates have easier access to the following rewards cards: the Petal® Visa® Credit Card, the Discover it® Student Cash Back card and the … This means that students have to have a part-time … All rewards total estimations are net the annual fee. The best balance transfer cards, like our top picks below, can provide … Best card for travel rewards: TD Rewards Visa. Information about the Capital One® Secured Mastercard®, Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by CNBC and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication. Citi offers a rewards points system for cardholders, with a 10-percent bonus on the first 100,000-points you redeem each year. You can now move on from secured and student cards — with 4 years of good credit history, you have choices. Note: If you already have a student card or other credit card, you can check out the following sections that list non-student cards. Citi also rounds up any points, so if you swipe for a purchase of … Select’s editorial team independently created this content. If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices. Best . Are there specific credit cards for … Capital One, Journey Student Rewards: It offers 1% cash back on all purchases and … Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card, Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card, 1% cash back on eligible purchases and 1.5% after you make 12 on-time monthly payments, 2% cash back: 1% on all purchases and an additional 1% after you pay your credit card bill, Petal 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa Credit Card, most important factor of your credit score, best credit cards for fair and average credit, Limited-time travel offer: Capital One Venture card offers new cardholders up to 100,000 bonus miles, Freelancers and independent contractors: Quarterly taxes are still due April 15, Chase Sapphire cardholders can now earn up to 5X to 10X points on their Peloton purchases, No credit history required (if you do have a credit history, that does factor into the credit decision), Card isn't for rebuilding credit, but it's good for building credit, Get access to a higher credit line after making your first five monthly payments on time. Your IP: 199.195.117.162 Credit Cards for Recent Graduates of April 2021Citi® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer: Best feature: 18-month 0% introductory rate on … The Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card requires average credit and offers a decent 1.5% cash back on all purchases. The company's data development team provided the most up-to-date and comprehensive consumer spending data based on the 2019 Consumer Expenditure Surveys from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But since the CARD Act of 2009 took effect, credit card issuers are effectively banned from offering merchandise on campus. Who's this for? The Citi® Double Cash Card is our top choice for a no-annual-fee cash-back card with a simple, yet competitive rewards program. And chances are good that debt is accruing interest at a high rate. These cards allow you to use your time in college to build up credit so that once you graduate you'll have a good credit foundation. Keep in mind balances must be transferred within four months from account opening, and there's a 3% balance transfer fee (minimum $5). The transition from high school graduate to college or university freshman is a big leap. Who's this for? Similar to the Capital One Secured Card, you can receive a higher credit limit after making your first five monthly payments on time, which can be helpful if you're not approved for a high credit limit right away. Many major credit card issuers, like Chase, Citi, Discover, and Capital One, offer cards specially designed for students with little to no credit history. Your choices will likely include cards with annual fees and high interest rates or secured cards that require a deposit. Credit Cards for Students Advertiser Disclosure † Most of the major credit card issuers offer credit cards that are specifically designed for students. That’s why many of the best everyday credit cards are those that offer simple, straightforward cash back rewards, with no categories to track or limits on how much you can earn. Discover it® Student Cash Back: Best feature: Student rewards. Check out the best credit cards for bad credit. If more than half of college graduates have at least one credit card, that means at least half of graduates may be leaving college with credit card debt. With the card, you will earn a 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants when you spend money, amounting to $1,000 of all the total transactions within the quarter of the year. Cardholders also receive 2% to 10% cash back from select merchants. College graduation is anything but traditional this year thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. Citi Rewards+ Student Credit Card. Information about the Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by CNBC and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication. This card offers grad students cash back where they need it most. Beyond a unique application process, the Petal 2 Visa Credit Card forgoes many common credit card fees. This card also provides one of the longest 0% APR periods for balance transfers at 18 months (after 13.99% to 23.99% variable APR). Check out the best credit cards for excellent credit. General purchases include items such as housekeeping supplies, clothing, personal care products, prescription drugs and vitamins, and other vehicle expenses. In addition to rewards, cardholders receive free two-day shipping at select online retailers with ShopRunner, just like the Amex Cash Magnet Card mentioned above. Check out the best credit cards for building credit. The card has proven so popular that it now comes in many versions including the Discover it Secured card, the Discover it Student card… This is one of the highest flat-rate rewards programs available and lets you earn without having to keep track of bonus categories or activation. Cardholders can also take advantage of discounts at select merchants via Amex Offers and  free two-day shipping from over 100 retailers with ShopRunner. Our eligibility checker can help you make sure you will get accepted with even if you have not had a credit card before. Check out the best credit cards for good credit. Click. 3% fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S. As a recent college graduate, you should aim to open a credit card with a low or no annual fee, especially if you don't have a job yet. A credit card can be a great way to help you start building credit, buy some time while you get on your feet or simply earn some much needed cash back on purchases you were already going to make. If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. By using a student credit card diligently during your student life, you will get a hang of managing credit by the time you graduate. This card doesn't offer cash back, points or miles, 26.99% variable on purchases and balance transfers. It features 3% cash back on up to $6,000 spent each year at U.S. grocery stores, then 1%. Use a student credit card responsibly, and you’ll be on your way to building a foundation of solid credit before you graduate. CNBC Select teamed up with location intelligence firm Esri. Who's this for? You're on your own now. The Cash Magnet also offers a great introductory 0% APR on purchases for 15 months from the date of account opening (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable APR). The best student credit cards, including Journey Student Rewards from Capital One and the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students, will be easy to get as long as you’re enrolled in school and have at least a small income as well as a credit score that’s anything but bad. For example, students can get an unsecured card with rewards, no annual fee, and low fees overall—such a product doesn’t really exist for non-students with no credit history. Chase Freedom Unlimited — Best for established credit; Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express – Best for gas at U.S. gas stations; Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card – Best for travel; Citi® Double Cash Card — … Here are some choices for your next step credit cards at graduation. With this credit card, you get double points for purchasing gas and groceries at participating retailers. Best card for fair and average credit: Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card; Best card for good credit: American Express Cash Magnet® Card; Best card for excellent credit… If you worked hard on building your credit in college and graduated with an excellent credit score, you may qualify for some of the best cards. While this card has a $39 annual fee, you can offset it by spending $2,600 a year on your card (see our methodology below). Please enable Cookies and reload the page. Plus, even graduate students with limited or no credit history should have good odds of getting approved. That said, here are Card Hub's top five credit cards for new graduates: 1. This is a great incentive to maintain positive payment history. The best student credit cards could offer 0% on your spending and help you build a credit score. Skip to content. 07/21/2015 02:01 pm ET Updated Jul 21, 2016 When you toss your cap in the air on graduation day, the world feels like it is at your feet. Cloudflare Ray ID: 63ca203c9d4c7e43 Another way to prevent getting this page in the future is to use Privacy Pass. There are no annual fees, no late payment fees and no foreign transaction fees. While it probably seems like much is out of your control right now — like future job prospects or renting a new apartment — there are certain financial milestones you can take to steer yourself in the direction you want. Now onto our list: Below, we review the best credit cards for college graduates, sorted by what credit score you need, so you can find the next card for your wallet. Best secured card for bad / building credit: Home Trust Secured Visa. Best for store rewards: PC Financial Mastercard and Triangle Mastercard. Annual fee cards can be an unnecessary cost — and as your credit improves, there will be lots of time to enjoy a premium credit card one day. The best cards for first-timers and students with a limited credit history. Our top picks See credit cards & more. Discover it® Student chrome: Best feature: Rewards for students. A secured card, such as the Capital One® Secured Mastercard®, is a great way to rebuild credit and work up to an unsecured card. These cards come with high APRs that make them unsuitable for long-term borrowing - you should always pay off what you spend in full every month in order to avoid paying interest - but over time could help you demonstrate sensible borrowing behaviour. 1. If you started building credit in college, you may have a fair, good or excellent credit score that allows you to qualify for a cash-back card or interest-free offer. During the application process, you may be asked to link bank accounts so the creditor can review your bank statements and other data, such as bill payments and earnings. But keep in mind, if you do have a credit history, it will factor into the credit decision. However, used in the right way, student credit cards can be a great way to manage your finances and build your credit score. Best student credit cards for April 2021. 5 Best Credit Cards for New Grads. Cardholders have the opportunity to qualify for a lower $49 or $99 deposit, based on your creditworthiness, and still receive a $200 credit limit. Student credit cards are a bit different than other first credit cards, because credit card issuers tend to give better offers to students than non-students in similar financial situations. Opening your first credit card is an important step on your journey to financial success and something you can do today. Cardholders earn 2% cash back on all purchases — 1% when you make a purchase and an additional 1% when you pay your credit card bill. If you don't qualify, the minimum deposit is $200. But with the Credit One Bank Visa, you don’t have to make a deposit and will receive a minimum credit limit of $300. This credit card facility is ideal for students that spend on groceries and gas. In this video I discuss the Best Credit Cards for Students, Beginners, and New Graduates of 2020. Information about the Capital One® Secured Mastercard® has been collected independently by CNBC and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the cards prior to publication. 2% cash back: 1% on all eligible purchases and an additional 1% after you pay your credit card bill, 0% for the first 18 months on balance transfers; N/A for purchases, 13.99% - 23.99% variable on purchases and balance transfers. This might be manageable if you work part-time or full-time. You’ll find credit cards with greater benefits and the ability to earn greater rewards. You can read more about their methodology here. Compare student cards for the best deal. See rates and fees and our methodology, terms apply. Petal 2 Visa Credit Card issued by WebBank, Member FDIC. The cashback program allows you to 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas … The QuicksilverOne Card is a good choice if you plan to travel outside the U.S. since there are no foreign transaction fees and it comes with travel accident insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver and 24-hour travel assistance services. Bank of America® Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students: Best feature: Cash back for students. The budget includes six main categories: groceries ($5,174), gas ($2,218), dining out ($3,675), travel ($2,244), utilities ($4,862) and general purchases ($3,953). Best Credit Cards for College Graduates. It requires good to excellent credit and offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases. The cashback is only for particular kinds of commodities.