Top 5 credit cards for grads

The Christian Science Monitor has released a list of the top five credit cards for college and high school graduates.

The writer of the piece said more than 1,000 credit cards were reviewed and had a few helpful hints for grads seeking their first credit card, like finding a card with no annual fee. Also, if you are under 21 years old, you will need a cosigner or sufficient income to cover the minimum monthly payments.

The top option was the Discover Open Road Card for Students. This card offered two percent cash back on the first $250 spent on gas and restaurant spending each month and one percent cash back on other purchases. It has no spending limit, zero percent on new purchase for the first nine months and no annual fee.

Next was the Citi Dividend Platinum Select MasterCard for College Students. This is one of the top five credit cards for grads because for the first nine months it has all kinds of ways to earn cash back, and like the others, has no annual fee.
Journey Student Rewards from Capital One includes a 1.25 percent cash back for paying your bill on time and the Capital One Cash Rewards for Newcomers gives two percent back on travel purchase. Neither charge an annual fee.

The Orchard Bank Secured MasterCard rounds out the list. While not giving rewards, this card is easy to get approved for. It requires a refundable security deposit that serves as the card’s credit line.

While credit cards are viable option for many, some students may prefer the convenience of campus debit cards. The New York Times reports that while regulations have stopped banks from doing too much to woo student into signing up for credit cards, another option is to provide on-campus debit cards. In this situation, student aid disbursements can be accessed through a debit card bearing the university’s logo, though there are fees associated with this system.

Those not interested debit cards however, still have the option of looking into the top five credit cards for graduates.

(Photo courtesy of Christian Science Monitor)