Chip Lupo, Credit Card Writer
@CLoop
A college student should have one credit card. Having an open credit card account is essential to building good credit, which students will need for future expenses, such as renting an apartment or taking out an auto or home loan. You don’t even need to make purchases with a credit card to build credit with one.
Whether or not you should get more than one card ultimately depends on how responsibly you use the first card as well as personal preferences.
Tips to Help Determine How Many Credit Cards a Student Should Have
Multiple credit cards could be useful to responsible cardholders.
Students who can juggle more than one account and can pay off all balances on time every month would likely benefit from having an extra credit card or two. Having another credit card provides an additional source of positive information for your credit reports, in addition to an increased total credit limit, which will make it easier to maintain low credit utilization.
Rein in your spending before applying for other credit cards.
If you tend to spend more than you can pay back, you should first learn to manage a single credit card effectively before you submit any more credit card applications.
Fewer applications in the short term will benefit your credit score.
Try to avoid applying for too many cards at one time. Each application will likely trigger a hard pull on your credit report, which could lower your credit score by a few points. Plus, numerous recent inquiries on your credit report could make you look riskier to lenders.
Even though college students just starting out are likely to have little or no credit, they have plenty of credit card options to choose from. Refer to our editors’ picks for the best credit cards for students to help determine which card best fits your specific needs. You can also check out WalletHub’s credit score simulator to get a better idea of how much your credit score will change based on the number of credit cards you have.
Popular Student Credit Cards in September 2025 from Our Partners
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People also ask
What are the limits on student credit cards?
The credit limits on student credit cards are usually less than $1,000 and typically start around $500, depending on the issuer. When applying, you will need to list your annual income, which plays a big part in determining your credit limit.
Many student credit card issuers don’t make their minimum credit limits public, but some do. For example, if you’re approved for the Chase Freedom® Student credit card, the lowest limit you’ll receive is $500.
Popular Credit Cards for...
read full answer by Christie Matherne, Credit Card WriterIs it a good idea for college students to have a credit card?
Yes, it's a very good idea to get a credit card as a college student because it's one of the best ways to build your credit. Just by owning a credit card and keeping it in good standing, you can go from having no credit at the start of college to fair or even good credit by the time you graduate.
At the very least, college students should have a credit card as an...
read full answer by WalletHub, Financial CompanyWhy do college students get credit cards?
College students get credit cards because using a credit card responsibly is a great way to build credit history and work your way toward a good credit score at little or no cost. Credit cards also give students a way to pay for emergency expenses and the opportunity to earn rewards on everyday purchases. Depending on the card, students can even benefit from perks such as a 0% intro APR and bonus rewards for timely payments or...
read full answer by Chip Lupo, Credit Card WriterDid we answer your question?
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