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School is starting again soon for most students in the U.S. Whether you're the one heading to the classroom or you're sending your children back to school, putting your shopping expenses on the right credit cards can help you earn extra rewards or put cash back in your pocket along the way. This is money you need to spend, so you might as well get something for it.
Back-to-school expenses vary. Young kids need colored pencils and shoes to replace the ones they've outgrown, while college students might need a laptop and furniture for their off-campus apartments. No two shopping lists will be the same, so we've rounded up a collection of credit cards that can help you boost your earning across numerous types of expenses you might incur as you get ready for the classroom.
Page Contents
- Best Credit Cards for Online Shopping
- Best Credit Card for Shopping at Target
- Best Credit Cards for Amazon Purchases
- Best Credit Cards for Computer Purchases
- Best Credit Cards for School Supplies
- Best Credit Cards for Groceries
- Best Credit Cards for Protecting Your Purchases
- Best Credit Cards for Paying Rent
- Best Credit Cards for Sign-Up Bonuses
- Best Credit Card for Books and Everything Else
- Paying Tuition With a Credit Card
- Bottom Line
Best Credit Cards for Online Shopping
- Earn a $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible net purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.
- 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in eligible net purchases each quarter on the two categories you choose, 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Travel Center, 2% cash back on one everyday category (like gas or groceries), 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases
- No annual fee
- 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in eligible net purchases each quarter on the two categories you choose
- 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Travel Center
- 2% cash back on one everyday category (like gas or groceries)
- 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases
The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card allows you to choose two categories for earning 5% back each quarter, and you'll earn 5% back on up to $2,000 of spending in your chosen categories each month. Categories can include things like gyms and fast food but also clothing stores and department stores. Those are handy for your online purchases, as well.
Also, consider these two cards:
- U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card: Earn 6% cash back on your first $1,500 in combined eligible purchases each quarter with two retailers you choose and 3% cash back on your first $1,500 in eligible purchases on your choice of one everyday category (like wholesale clubs, gas and EV charging stations, bills, and utilities).
- Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Earn 3% cash back with U.S. online retailers (on up to $6,000 in annual purchases, then 1% back).
Best Credit Card for Shopping at Target
The Target REDcard™ Credit Card has no annual fee and earns a 5% discount on eligible Target purchases when you pay with your card. The discount doesn't apply to prescriptions or gift cards but does apply to things like school supplies and decorations for your dorm room.
Best Credit Cards for Amazon Purchases
- Get a $100 (or more) Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
- Earn 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
- Earn 2% back at gas stations, restaurants and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
- Earn 1% back on all other purchases
- No annual credit card fee
- No more waiting. Redeem daily rewards at Amazon.com as soon as the next day
- Member FDIC
- 5% back on purchases made through Chase Travel, with an eligible Prime membership
- 5% back at Amazon and Whole Foods Market, with an eligible Prime membership
- 2% back on local transit and commuting, including rideshare
- 2% back at restaurants and at gas stations
- 1% back on all other purchases
With the Prime Visa, you'll earn 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership. However, if you aren't a Prime member, consider these other cards:
- Amazon Visa: Earn 3% back at Amazon and Whole Foods Market.
- U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card: Earn 6% cash back on your first $1,500 in combined eligible purchases each quarter with two retailers you choose and 3% cash back on your first $1,500 in eligible purchases on your choice of one everyday category (like wholesale clubs, gas and EV charging stations, bills, and utilities).
- Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Earn 3% cash back with U.S. online retailers (on up to $6,000 in annual purchases, then 1% back).
Best Credit Cards for Computer Purchases
This will depend on what you're buying and where you're buying it.
- If you're buying from Apple, the Apple Card provides 3% daily cash back on purchases of Apple products directly from Apple.
- If you're buying online, use our recommendations for Amazon and online shopping.
- If you're buying from another major chain (like Best Buy or Costco), see our recommendations for the best cards for everything else.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express also offers up to $400 in annual statement credits for Dell purchases. This could defray the cost of a new computer or other technology you need for the upcoming school year. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
Best Credit Cards for School Supplies
- Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
- Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
- Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- No Annual Fee
- Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
- Member FDIC
- 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
- 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
- 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
You can buy school supplies in multiple places. If you buy them from a store like Staples or Office Max, which are classified as “office supply stores” on your credit card bill, we recommend the Ink Cash card for the ability to earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services each account anniversary year.
If you don't qualify for a business credit card, consider these alternatives:
- Use your card with the best rate of return on “other spending.” You can find recommendations in the “everything else” section below.
- If you're buying school supplies at a supermarket, see the groceries section below.
Best Credit Cards for Groceries
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
- Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
- Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $250.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 4X Membership Rewards® Points at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
- 1X on other purchases
- Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
With the American Express® Gold Card, you'll earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). Most supermarkets also offer a school supplies section these days, so this provides a great return when stocking up your fridge and on supplies for the classroom.
Other cards to consider include:
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Earn 6% at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%). Cash back is issued as a statement credit..
- Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Earn 3% at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®).
- Instacart Mastercard®: Earn 5% cash back on Instacart app and Instacart.com purchases, and on travel purchased through the Chase Travel Center.
Best Credit Cards for Protecting Your Purchases
If you're purchasing expensive items like computers, tablets, or furniture for your new apartment, you should protect your purchases. Buying them with the right credit card can invoke two important insurance benefits:
- Purchase protection: This benefit covers damage or theft of items you recently purchased with a credit card offering this perk. Coverage is usually for 90 or 120 days, and each individual card will have limits to the coverage amount. These are the best credit cards for purchase protection.
- Extended warranty: This benefit adds an extra year onto a manufacturer's warranty, extending coverage on things like laptops, printers, phones, and other expensive items you care about protecting. These are the best credit cards for extended warranty benefits.
Best Credit Cards for Paying Rent
If you're heading off to school and living off campus, you'll have rent to pay. We have this guide to paying rent with a credit card via bill pay services, but here's a summary of this discussion:
- Evaluate the fees: Unless your landlord specifically accepts credit card payments without fees, you'll typically pay a fee for using a credit card on monthly rent payments. This fee might be worth it if you're earning more rewards than the cost of the fee.
- Avoiding fees: The exception is The Bilt Mastercard®. The card's annual fee is $0, and you also won't pay fees for making rent payments on this card. However, you need to make five transactions per month on the card (other than paying rent) to maximize your earnings, and there are annual limits to how many points you can earn from rent payments (though the limit is far above what most people spend on rent each year).
Best Credit Cards for Sign-Up Bonuses
When you're working on your back-to-school shopping list, this could be an ideal time to earn a new bonus from a credit card or credit cards. Purchasing a new laptop or bedding for your dorm room could help you earn several hundred dollars of cash back or thousands of points from a welcome bonus.
Here are the best credit card welcome bonuses available this month.
Best Credit Card for Books and Everything Else
There will be purchases that don't fall neatly into the categories above. You'll need to shop at Walmart, the on-campus bookstore, or a local hardware store.
For these purchases, use the best credit card for everyday purchases, which we cover here.
Paying Tuition With a Credit Card
While it's not part of your back-to-school shopping, you might be wondering if using credit cards for tuition is possible. Many schools allow this, but you should consider a few things first. Will you pay off your bill entirely, or will you need time? The interest accruing on your credit card might negate any value from the rewards you earn along the way.
Additionally, consider whether your school (or your child's school) charges fees for credit card payments. If so, that might cost more than what the rewards are worth. Earning a large sign-up bonus from this semester's tuition payments (or several bonuses if you're making multiple payments!) might be the only time the fees are worth it. Ensure you do the math.
Related: How To Earn Points and Miles When Paying for College
Bottom Line
No two students have the same back-to-school shopping lists, but every family can benefit from using the right credit cards for these purchases. Depending on what's in your wallet, you can put extra cash back in your pocket or earn extra points and miles to fund future travels.
Now could be a great time to earn a sign-up bonus on a new credit card, as well. Heading back to school can involve significant expenses; with a little planning, you can maximize rewards along the way.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: American Express® Gold Card (Rates & Fees)
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