Best Credit Cards for Teachers [2025]: Which Cards Make the Grade?

I don't need to tell you that teachers aren't paid nearly enough for the vital work they do. And what's more, you face the dual challenge of nurturing young minds while managing classroom expenses at the same time. I know that my sister-in-law is constantly using her own money to buy supplies for her third-grade classroom.

While you're waiting for the unlikely overhaul of education funding in this country, consider opening a credit card that can help you earn cash back or rewards on purchases to at least get something back for all those pencils you're buying.

Credit cards such as the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express or the Prime Visa can help teachers earn on common purchases like spending at U.S. supermarkets or spending with popular retailers, like Amazon. Each of these cards also provides other perks that could help you make the most out of everyday spending.

The best credit cards for teachers

• Citi Double Cash^® Card
• Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card(Rates and fees)
• Chase Freedom Unlimited^®
• Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express
• Target Circle Card
• Prime Visa
• NEA^® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card

Compare the best credit cards for teachers

Card	Reward details	Annual fee	Excellent for
Citi Double Cash® Card	2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases; plus, a special travel offer, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25	$0	Earning on balance payments
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card(Rates and fees)	Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases	$0	Cell phone protection
Chase Freedom Unlimited®	6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and 3% cash back on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, earn 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	$0	Easy rewards redemption
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express	6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (for first $6,000 per year, after that 1%) and on select U.S. streaming services, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on eligible transit, and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases	$0 intro annual fee for the first year, $95 per year thereafter (Terms apply)	Earning on U.S. supermarket spending
Target Circle Card	N/A	$0	Earning on spending at Target
Prime Visa	Unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and unlimited 1% on all other purchases	$0	Earning on Amazon purchases
NEA® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card	3% cash back on the category of your choice; 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (on the first $2,500 spent each quarter in the 2% and 3% categories combined); and 1% cash back on all other purchases	$0	Buying school supplies online

Citi Double Cash^® Card

This credit card rewards you for making on-time payments each billing cycle, making it easy to rack up flat-rate cash back from your everyday purchases. With this card, you can earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases; plus, a special travel offer, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25.

The Citi Double Cash cashback rate is a great, consistent rewards rate for daily purchases, regardless of their categories. Plus, there's no limit to how much you can earn, and — like most cards on this list — it has a $0 annual fee.

This makes the Citi Double Cash^® Card a great option to use in conjunction with another card that has higher earnings in select bonus categories.

Apply now for the Citi Double Cash^® Card(Rates and fees) | Learn more in our Citi Double Cash review

Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card

The Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card is a great choice for teachers due to its wide range of benefits. It helps you earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, making it a straightforward and rewarding option for everyday spending.

As a new cardholder, you can earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.

One of its standout features is that it offers cell phone protection (subject to a $25 deductible). This protection provides coverage for your cell phone in case it gets damaged or stolen as long as you pay your monthly wireless bill with the card. While certain limitations apply, this feature isn't common across credit cards at this tier.

This is going to sound silly, but I have a close teacher friend who demonstrates — to the inevitable horror of his students — our dependence on technology by throwing his phone against the wall at the start of classes every year. I'd imagine he could benefit from this card.

Apply now | Learn more in our Wells Fargo Active Cash review

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

The Chase Freedom Unlimited^® offers a compelling package of benefits for teachers. It helps you earn 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and 3% cash back on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, earn 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.

This means teachers can earn rewards in more categories than their classroom supplies. Additionally, you can earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).

What makes this card an attractive option is that it has a simple and straightforward rewards program and a $0 annual fee.

Apply now | Learn more in our Chase Freedom Unlimited review

Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express

With the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express, you could earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (for first $6,000 per year, after that 1%) and on select U.S. streaming services, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on eligible transit, and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases. These are common spending categories for many families. Plus, 6% is one of the best cashback rates for purchases at U.S. supermarkets (for first $6,000 per year, after that 1%) and on select U.S. streaming services that you'll find.

In addition, you can also earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first 6 months. This cash back credit card is a great option for teachers who have big families or long commutes.

Learn how to apply | Learn more in our Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card review

Target Circle Card

The Target Circle Card is one of our favorite store cards because the rewards are robust and simple to track. You can receive 5% off your eligible purchases at Target (in store and online) automatically when you use this card. That means you won't have to wait to redeem your rewards.

Furthermore, store cards are generally easier to qualify for than regular rewards cards, which makes this card a great choice for teachers who are still building their credit. It's also a great card to have in addition to another rewards card since most cards can't compete with the savings you'll get on your Target purchases.

Check out our complete Target Circle Card review to learn more.

Prime Visa

If you already have an Amazon Prime account and reap the benefits, this card is a no-brainer. You're probably already buying from Amazon frequently, and this credit card helps you earn 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, which is a pretty impressive rewards rate for a card with an annual fee of $0.

Plus, you can earn 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare). In addition, you can earn a $100 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members, which makes this card a great option if you need some cash for school supplies now.

This card is an excellent choice for teachers who frequently shop at Amazon.com or buy their groceries at Whole Foods. If you don't have a Prime account, consider joining.

Not only is it a great place to find discounts on supplies and snacks, but you'll also get other benefits like free two-day shipping, free grocery delivery, and access to tons of free videos and books, including educational content.

Apply now | Learn more in our Prime Visa review

NEA^® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card

This card from the National Education Association, in collaboration with Bank of America, was specifically designed with teachers' needs in mind. You can earn a $200 Amazon.com gift card after spending $500 in the first 90 days, and the rewards are impressive beyond that.

You could also earn 3% back in the category of your choice (gas and EV charging stations, cable/streaming/internet and phone plans, dining, drugstores, home improvement/furnishings, online shopping, or travel), so you can maximize your rewards by choosing the category in which you'll do the most spending.

In addition to that, you could earn 2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, which is perfect for picking up snacks for your students (or for your own family). And you could earn 1% back on all other purchases.

Because the NEA^® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card is so flexible, it's a great option for many people. Teachers who like to do their school supply shopping online can take advantage of its elevated rewards rate for online shopping.

But this card would also be a good choice for teachers with a long commute since one of the category options you can choose from is gas.

How to optimize your earnings

To maximize the amount of rewards or cash back you earn, use your credit cards strategically. Holding multiple cards and using them for spending in the categories that earn the most rewards on each will get you the most back for your money.

But you don't want to go on a credit card application spree, as that could hurt your credit score. For those just getting started with credit card rewards, it's generally a good idea to have one card that earns rewards on everyday spending and another one or two for earning in specific categories where you spend the most.

For example, you might use the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express for your purchases at U.S. supermarkets, the Target Card for your Target purchases, and the Citi Double Cash Card for everything else.

FAQs

Bottom line

Dedicated teachers need all the help they can get to ensure their students have everything they need to be successful. To earn a little bit back on your credit card spending, choose a card that aligns with your unique spending habits, financial situation, and goals.

Any one of these cards could help you earn enough rewards to cover some of the cost of school supplies for your classroom, though your eligibility will depend upon your creditworthiness and other factors.

Lucrative, Flat-Rate Cash Rewards

Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card

5.0

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Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card

Apply Now

Rates and fees

Current Offer

$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Low spend threshold for its welcome offer — $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
• Cell phone protection benefit (subject to a $25 deductible)
• Can redeem rewards at an ATM for literal cash

Drawbacks

• Foreign transaction fee of 3%
• No bonus categories

Card Details

• Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
• Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
• 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
• $0 annual fee.
• No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
• Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
• Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.