The Ultimate Guide to Credit Cards
Thursday, April 18, 2024

7 Best Credit Cards for Teachers (April 2024)

Best Credit Cards For Teachers
Brittney Mayer

Written by: Brittney Mayer

Brittney Mayer
Brittney Mayer

Brittney is a Credit Strategist and Finance Expert who has spent years honing her knowledge of the credit industry both personally and professionally. Brittney applies her more than a decade of research experience to crafting in-depth consumer guides designed to help CardRates readers make better, more informed financial decisions.

See full bio »

Edited by: Lillian Guevara-Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro
Lillian Guevara-Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro brings more than 30 years of editing and journalism experience to the CardRates team. She has written and edited for major news organizations, including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the New York Times, and she previously served as an adjunct journalism instructor at the University of Florida. Today, Lillian edits all CardRates content for clarity, accuracy, and reader engagement.

See full bio »
Advertiser Disclosure

If you’re an educator, finding the best credit cards for teachers can help ease the up-front costs that are often necessary for a fully functioning — and effective — classroom. We’ll take a look at some of these cards in the article below.

Between classroom supplies, snacks, and professional development purchases, the average teacher spends as much as $1,000 of their own money each school year. For a new teacher, that could mean as much as 3% of your entire income spent on things that would be provided in other professions.

While changes in policy and funding are slow to happen, you can reduce your out-of-pocket classroom expenses with the smart use of credit card rewards. You can earn big rewards on every field trip, ice cream party, and a box of tissues simply by using the right credit card for your purchases.

Cash Back | Travel | 0% Intro APR | Dining | Grocery Stores | No Annual Fee | Store Cards

Best “Cash Back Rewards” Credit Cards for Teachers

While not the biggest earners, unlimited cash back credit cards are a good option for the teachers who’d rather spend their time worrying about grades and lesson plans than getting every last point from their credit card rewards.

With unlimited cash back cards, you’ll earn the same rewards on every new purchase, regardless of where or what you buy, with no limits on the number of rewards you can earn. Enjoy no-fuss redemption for a statement credit.

  • INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
  • Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
  • After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
  • No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
  • Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
  • No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR on Purchases 15 months
0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers 15 months
20.49% - 29.24% Variable
$0
Good/Excellent

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers a tiered cash back rewards rate on travel, dining, and drugstore purchases, and a flat-rate cash back on all other purchases. Combine this with an easily attainable signup bonus, all topped off with an intro-APR offer on new purchases, and this is a card that works well in anyone’s wallet.

2. Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card

This card is currently not available.

Cash Back Rating

★★★★★
N/A

OVERALL RATING

N/A
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A

Additional Disclosure: Information for this card not reviewed by or provided by Capital One.

The Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card let’s you earn up to 4% cash back, and your rewards will never expire as long as your account remains open. Your annual fee is also waived the first year.

CASH BACK RATING

★★★★★
4.8

OVERALL RATING

  • Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
  • Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.
  • Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
  • Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
  • If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
  • There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
0% Intro APR Period 18 months on Balance Transfers
19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
$0
Excellent, Good, Fair

Additional Disclosure: Citi is a CardRates advertiser.

While the Citi Double Cash® Card advertises unlimited 2% cash back, it’s not all awarded at once. You’ll earn 1% when you make a purchase, then the other 1% cash back when you pay off your balance.

Best “Travel Rewards” Credit Cards for Teachers

Similar to their students, many teachers look forward to summer break as a time to get out of the classroom and enjoy some well-earned relaxation. If you like to spend your summers traveling the world, then a good travel rewards credit card is a surefire winner.

Although there are a number of co-branded travel cards that offer special airline or hotel perks, the most versatile travel rewards cards are those that offer points or miles that can be redeemed on nearly any travel expense, free from blackouts or brand restrictions.

Discover it® Miles Review

at Discover Card'ssecure website

AIR MILES RATING

★★★★★
4.9

OVERALL RATING

  • UNLIMITED BONUS: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers - only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. For example, if you earn 35,000 Miles, you get 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
  • Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
  • No annual fee
  • Turn Miles into cash. Or redeem as a statement credit for your travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more.
  • 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.24% - 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply.
  • Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
  • Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
  • Terms and conditions apply.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR for 15 months
0% Intro APR for 15 months
17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
$0
Excellent/Good

AIR MILES RATING

★★★★★
4.9

OVERALL RATING

  • $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
  • Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
  • Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
  • Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
  • Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% for 15 months
0% for 15 months
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
$0
Excellent, Good

AIR MILES RATING

★★★★★
4.8

OVERALL RATING

  • Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
  • Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
  • Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
  • Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
$95
Excellent, Good

If you’re interested in getting the most value out of your travel rewards, look for cards that allow points transfers to hotel and airline partners. This allows you to turn your flexible rewards into branded loyalty points that can unlock big-value redemptions.

Best “0% Intro APR” Credit Cards for Teachers

For new teachers, a small starting salary, big classroom costs, and the nearly inevitable student loan payments can all mean a strict budget that doesn’t have room for things like interest fees.

With a good intro-APR credit card offer, however, you can make interest-free purchases for 12 months or more. Plus, you’ll even earn rewards on those interest-free purchases if your card offers cash back, points, or miles.

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card Review

at Bank Of America'ssecure website

0% INTRO APR RATING

★★★★★
4.8

OVERALL RATING

  • $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
  • Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice, automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
  • Choose 3% cash back on gas and EV charging station, online shopping/cable/internet/phone plan/streaming, dining, travel, drug store/pharmacy or home improvement/furnishing purchases.
  • If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more cash back on every purchase. That means you could earn 3.75%-5.25% cash back on purchases in your choice category.
  • No annual fee and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
  • 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
  • Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
  • This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (Balance Transfer Fee 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%)
18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
$0
Excellent/Good

Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card Review

at Bank Of America'ssecure website

0% INTRO APR RATING

★★★★★
4.8

OVERALL RATING

  • Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
  • 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
  • Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
  • Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
  • 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
  • If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
  • Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
  • This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (Balance Transfer Fee 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%)
18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
$0
Excellent/Good

Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.

Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card Review

at Bank Of America'ssecure website

0% INTRO APR RATING

★★★★★
4.8

OVERALL RATING

  • $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
  • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
  • If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more cash back on every purchase. That means you could earn 1.87%-2.62% cash back on every purchase with Preferred Rewards.
  • No annual fee.
  • No limit to the amount of cash back you can earn and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
  • 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
  • Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
  • This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (Balance Transfer Fee 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%)
18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
$0
Excellent/Good

Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.

Be sure to look at the specific details of your intro-APR offer before making purchases. While some offers apply to both new purchases and balance transfers, others may only apply to one transaction type.

Best “Dining Rewards” Credit Cards for Teachers

From end-of-semester pizza parties to field trip dinners, teachers can find themselves paying for any number of large meals over the course of the school year. And let’s not discount the nights eating take-out to finish grading that last round of papers.

Putting those purchases on one of our top credit cards for bonus dining rewards can net you at least 4% cash back on every dine-in or take-out meal, putting a little more room in the food budget.

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★★
4.7

OVERALL RATING

  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
  • Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
  • 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
  • Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™; Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
22.49%-29.49% Variable
$550
Good/Excellent

While you’d need to be a really big eater to make up the Chase Sapphire Reserve®‘s annual fee on dining rewards alone, a healthy restaurant habit paired with the card’s annual travel credit can make short work of that fee. For some teachers, this card is a good all-in-one option for school-year meals and summertime travel alike.

Discover it® Cash Back Review

at Discover Card'ssecure website

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★★
4.9

OVERALL RATING

  • INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
  • Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
  • Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
  • Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
  • Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.24% to 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
  • No annual fee.
  • Terms and conditions apply.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR for 15 months
0% Intro APR for 15 months
17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
$0
Excellent/Good

Although you’ll only earn bonus rewards on restaurant purchases up to one quarter each year with the Discover it® Cash Back, during that activated quarter, you’ll get a top cash back rate on qualifying restaurant purchases. Quarterly spending limits apply.

12. Uber Visa Card

The Uber Visa Card from Barclays is a solid choice for cash back restaurant rewards, offering an unlimited 4% cash back on dining purchases, including sit-down, take-out, and UberEATS.

Uber Visa Card

  • Earn 4% cash back on dining purchases, including restaurants, takeout, bars, and UberEATS
  • Earn 3% cash back on hotel & airfare, 2% for online purchases
  • Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases

Don’t forget about the card’s other perks, either. Flights and accommodations for long-distance conferences or summer-break getaways can earn 3% cash back, and online purchases net a cool 2% cash back.

Best “Grocery Store Rewards” Credit Cards for Teachers

One of the biggest expenses for teachers is office supplies, but few consumer credit cards offer office supply store bonus categories. This means a card with good grocery store rewards is usually the next best thing to keep your classroom stocked.

In fact, your local grocery store is a great place to find just about everything you need for a classroom, from pens and binders to snacks and tissues. Especially when you can earn as much as 6% cash back on your grocery store purchases.

13. Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express has the highest grocery store category bonus on the market, offering a huge 6% cash back on the first $6,000 in grocery store purchases each year. While the card does come with a $95 annual fee, you can easily make it back with the rewards from only $31 in groceries each week.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

  • Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6k a year) & on select U.S. streaming services
  • Earn 3% cash back on U.S. gas station and transit purchases
  • Pay a $95 annual fee

The secondary bonus categories of the American Express Blue Cash Preferred are also worth mentioning, as they offer 6% on select streaming services, plus 3% cash back for gas and transit, which can come in handy for field-trip fuel-ups.

14. Chase Freedom Flex℠

This card is currently not available.

Best Overall Rating

★★★★★
N/A

OVERALL RATING

N/A
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A

Additional Disclosure: The information related to Chase Freedom Flex℠ credit card has been collected by CardRates.com and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers bonus cash back on rotating category purchases each activated quarter subject to a spend limit. Chase has offered grocery stores as a bonus category the last four years running, so you can likely count on at least one quarter of bonus cash back on grocery store purchases each year.

Discover it® Cash Back Review

at Discover Card'ssecure website

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★★
4.9

OVERALL RATING

  • INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
  • Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
  • Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
  • Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
  • Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.24% to 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
  • No annual fee.
  • Terms and conditions apply.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR for 15 months
0% Intro APR for 15 months
17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
$0
Excellent/Good

As with the Chase Freedom Flex℠, the Discover it® Cash Back card offers quarterly rotating bonus rewards categories that offer bonus cash back when activated for purchases made in categories that change every three months. Grocery stores and wholesale stores have both been featured in years past.

Best “No Annual Fee” Credit Cards for Teachers

With so much of your salary going toward the classroom, throwing extra money at seemingly frivolous expenses, like credit card annual fees, can seem downright ridiculous.

But while some annual fees may be worth paying, there are a huge number of quality rewards credit cards available that will offer good rewards rates without charging you a huge annual fee — or any annual fee at all.

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★★
4.9

OVERALL RATING

  • INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
  • Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
  • After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
  • No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
  • Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
  • No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR on Purchases 15 months
0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers 15 months
20.49% - 29.24% Variable
$0
Good/Excellent
Discover it® Cash Back Review

at Discover Card'ssecure website

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★★
4.9

OVERALL RATING

  • INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
  • Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
  • Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
  • Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
  • Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.24% to 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
  • No annual fee.
  • Terms and conditions apply.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR for 15 months
0% Intro APR for 15 months
17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
$0
Excellent/Good

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★★
4.5

OVERALL RATING

  • No annual or hidden fees. See if you're approved in seconds
  • Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
  • Help build your credit through responsible use of a card like this
  • Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
  • Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
  • Get access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with online banking from your desktop or smartphone, with Capital One's mobile app
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
29.99% (Variable)
$0
Average, Fair, Limited

Of course, don’t assume that because there is no annual fee there are no fees at all. Carrying a balance from month to month will still incur interest fees (unless you have an active 0% APR offer), and non-purchase transactions, like cash advances, will still come with their own fees, as well.

Best “Store Rewards” Credit Cards for Teachers

Although there are many open-loop credit cards that can help you maximize rewards in most of your favorite stores, sometimes the best year-round savings can be had with a closed-loop store credit card.

Of course, these cards are only usable at their associated stores, which limits their usability. But with those offering 5% rewards for branded purchases, it may be worth keeping one or two of these unitaskers in your wallet.

19. Amazon.com Store Card

If you need it, Amazon.com likely has it, making the Amazon.com Store Card a useful option for nearly any Amazon Prime customer. Note that only Amazon Prime members actually earn rewards with this card, so while the card has no annual fee, you’ll need to pay for Prime membership to get the most use out of it.

Amazon.com Store Card

  • Receive special financing on eligible Amazon.com orders of $149 or more made with your card
  • Amazon Prime members also get 5% cash back on Amazon purchases
  • Pay no annual card fee (Prime fee may apply)

Both cardholders with and without Prime membership do qualify for the card’s deferred financing options on orders over $149, but be sure to pay off your purchases in full before the promotional period expires or you’ll be charged interest on your entire purchase.

20. Target REDcard

The Target REDcard can be a good way to save on any number of items, from classroom essentials to after-lunch snacks.

Target REDcard

  • Get 5% off your total purchase at checkout for eligible in-store or online Target purchases
  • Receive exclusive deals and discounts
  • Pay no annual fee

Unlike most rewards cards, the Target REDcard doesn’t earn rewards that are redeemed later. Instead, you’ll get an instant 5% off at the register for every qualifying purchase.

21. Staples® More Account — Personal

A Staples® More Account can go a long way to helping you save on office supplies, offering 5% back on your Staples purchases. Rewards are earned as Staples Rewards®, however, which are only redeemable at Staples.

Staples® More Account — Personal

  • Earn 5% back as Staples Rewards® on in-store and online Staples purchases
  • Receive free next-day delivery on orders over $49.99
  • Pay no annual fee

If you need to make a big purchase, perhaps something like upgrading your personal computer, your Staples® More Account also comes with special financing on orders over $299. Keep in mind that the financing is deferred, so you’ll need to pay off your full purchase before the end of the financing term to avoid paying interest on the entire amount.

Do You Have an A+ Credit Card?

For the typical teacher, teaching is more than a simple job — it’s a calling. Unfortunately, that calling often comes with extra costs to keep the classroom — and its students — properly outfitted.

And, until the inherent policy and funding issues are addressed, it’s often up to teachers to make it work.

With a little organization and a handful of quality credit cards, you can not only earn rewards on your regular personal spending, but also maximize the rewards you earn on classroom-related expenses, taking some of the bite out of your budget.

Of course, no amount of rewards can make up for high interest fees, so be sure to keep your budget on track to avoid a costly test of your finances.

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