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Home Personal Finance

The average credit card interest rate by credit score and card

by DTB
May 12, 2023
in Personal Finance
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The average credit card interest rate by credit score and card
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Our experts choose the best products and services to help make smart decisions with your money (here’s how). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.

  • The average credit card interest rate was 20.92% in the first quarter of 2023, according to Federal Reserve data.
  • The type of card and your credit score will affect the interest rate you’ll pay on any balances.
  • Higher credit scores bring lower interest rates, and reward cards have the highest interest rates.
  • Read Insider’s guide to the best zero-interest credit cards.

The average credit card APR was a whopping 20.92% in the first quarter of 2023, according to data from the Federal Reserve. But, your own credit card interest rate is likely to be different.

Credit cards come with a cost of borrowing: An annual percentage rate, or APR. This is the amount you’ll pay for credit. With a credit card, you’ll only pay interest on an unpaid balance after your billing cycle is over. Pay off your card in full each month, and you won’t pay any interest. 

However, if you don’t pay off your balance in full each month, it can get expensive. It’s not unusual for a card to carry an APR in the 20% range, which means a balance can continue to grow and snowball for each month it stays on your card. 

Insider’s Featured Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Discover it® Cash Back
  • Citi® Double Cash Card
  • Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.


Annual Fee


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$0

Rewards


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Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases automatically.

Intro Offer


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Unlimited Cashback Match – Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year

Annual Fee


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$0

Rewards


Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.

Intro Offer


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0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, then 18.99% – 28.99% variable APR

Annual Fee


Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

$0

Rewards


Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Intro Offer


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$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months from account opening

Apply now


On Discover’s website

Rates & Fees

Apply now


On Citi’s website

Apply now


On Wells Fargo’s website

Rates & Fees

Average credit card interest rate in 2023

Outside of paying off your card, there are a few factors that can influence the rate attached to your card, including your credit score and the type of card you have. Here’s how these factors influence your interest rate.

Interest rates by credit score

Like getting a loan, the interest rate attached to your credit card largely depends on your credit score. Credit scores are calculated based on your past credit activity on a scale of 300 to 850 based on past borrowing, repayment history, available credit, and your mix of credit accounts.

Lenders use them to evaluate how trustworthy you are as a borrower, and whether they should lend to you, so generally the higher your credit score, the lower your credit card’s interest rate. Those with higher credit scores will also be more likely to qualify for zero-interest credit cards with 0% introductory APRs.

Higher credit scores get lower interest rates

According to data from the most recent CFPB’s Consumer Credit Card Market Report, the average total interest paid by consumers increases with lower credit scores.

The CFPB measures this with an effective interest rate — calculated as the total amount of interest charged per year divided by the total balance at the end of the cycle — to create a metric of how much interest was actually paid by consumers at each credit level. Data from 2020 showed that consumers with the best credit paid the lowest effective interest rates, and vice versa.

Credit score category

Effective interest rate 

Deep Subprime (579 or lower)

21.1%

Subprime (580 – 619)

20.2%

Near Prime (620 – 659)

19.1%

Prime (660 – 719)

16.9%

Super Prime (720 or greater)

12.7%

Overall 

15.7%

Interest rates by type of credit card

Premium credit cards tend to carry a higher APR.

The type of card you have can affect the amount of interest you could pay if you carry a balance. Data from S&P Global shows that for three main types of credit cards, a higher interest rate comes with bigger perks.

Credit card type

Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

Classic credit card

11.94%

Platinum credit card

12.76%

Rewards credit card

13.23%

Some of the name-brand rewards cards you may be familiar with may also have higher interest rates. Here are a few favorites, and the interest rates they carry. Remember that credit card companies can change interest rates, and that only people with excellent credit scores will qualify for the lowest interest rates. 

Interest rates for travel credit cards

Travel rewards credit cards can have higher interest rates than the typical card because they offer valuable rewards if used correctly. These credit cards are good options for anyone who wants to earn perks like miles to book award flights, but doesn’t plan to keep a balance on their card.

Credit card

Annual Percentage Rate (APR) range

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

20.74% – 27.74% Variable

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

20.74% – 29.74% Variable

Unitedâ„  Explorer Card

21.24% – 28.24% Variable

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®

20.99% – 29.99% variable

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

20.74% – 28.74% Variable

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

20.74% – 27.74% Variable

Interest rates for cash-back cards

Cash-back cards offer the most flexible reward of all: cash. Generally, these cards earn a percentage back of total purchases, up to around 2% cash back. The money can then be applied back to your balance, or even cashed out and put toward other goals.

The interest rates for cash-back credit cards tend to start a little bit lower than rewards credit cards. Here are the interest rates on some of the best cash-back credit cards on the market today. 

Credit card

Annual Percentage Rate (APR) range

Citi® Double Cash Card

18.99% – 28.99% Variable

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

19.99%, 24.99%, or 29.99% Variable

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

19.74% – 28.49% Variable

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

18.99% – 29.99% Variable

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

19.74% – 29.74% Variable

Interest rates for student credit cards

Created specifically for college students, these cards are best for young adults who haven’t built much credit yet and can be secured with a cash deposit upfront.

Slightly more forgiving, these student credit cards can be a great way to build credit while still in school, but can have high interest rates. While some borrowers with the best credit scores will see rates around 18%, interest rates could be as high as 29%.

Credit card Annual Percentage Rate (APR) range

Chase Freedom® Student credit card

19.74% Variable

Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

19.74% – 29.74% Variable

Discover it® Student Cash Back

17.74% – 26.74% Variable

Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

19.74% – 29.74% Variable

Interest rates for introductory APR cards

The best balance transfer credit cards allow you to consolidate credit card debt onto one card while paying a 0% APR for a promotional period, sometimes for more than a year. These offers can save you a lot of money on interest, but weigh the pros and cons to be sure a balance transfer is worth it for you.

Cards with an intro 0% APR can also be used to finance large purchases for a short amount of time. Some cards offer an introductory 0% APR on both balance transfers and purchases.

But, these cards won’t be interest-free forever: Rates go up after the introductory period is over. During the introductory period, interest won’t accrue on your balance. If you pay off your card in full by the time the offer is up, it can be a good alternative to a personal loan. After that intro period is over, you’ll pay a fairly typical interest rate. 

Here are a few examples of how this works with a few popular cards that offer a 0% intro rate. 

Credit card

Introductory APR Regular APR

Wells Fargo Reflect® Card

0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers 17.99% – 29.99% variable

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from account opening 18.99% – 29.99% Variable

Citi Simplicity® Card

0% intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months (transfers must be completed within four months of account opening) and on purchases for 12 months 18.99% – 29.74% Variable
Citi® Double Cash Card 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months

18.99% – 28.99% Variable

U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 billing cycles

19.49% – 29.49% Variable

Remember: Interest rates only apply to unpaid balances

If you pay your credit card in full each month, credit cards can be valuable tools to earn airline miles or hotel points, get cash back, and build your credit history, with no interest involved.

If you don’t pay your credit card bill in full each month, the interest rate will apply, and add to the total amount you owe. It can get out of hand quickly, and the debt your card accumulates negates any of the rewards you could earn. 

Paying your credit card in full means you’ll never have to worry about paying more for your purchases than you need to, and can help you earn rewards to enjoy as well. While credit card interest rates can seem high, they’re non-existent if you pay your account in full each month and use your card responsibly.

How to lower credit card interest

Getting a lower interest rate on your credit card can in many cases be as easy as calling the issuer and asking for a reduction. Credit card interest rates are negotiable. Chances are good that you’ll be able to get a lower rate by simply asking for it if you’ve been consistently making payments on time and have a good credit score.

If you can’t get a reduction in your rate, there are still ways to reduce the amount of interest you pay. Paying off your full balance each month is the surest way, if you have the wherewithal to do so. 

Making several payments each month is another strategy to reduce interest costs. If you plan to pay off a certain amount of your credit card debt at the end of the month, but you won’t be able to pay off all of it, splitting that amount into several payments throughout the month reduces your average daily balance and the amount of interest you’re charged.

You can also consider a balance transfer — moving debt from a high-interest account to one with a lower rate. Some balance transfer credit cards are even interest-free for the first 12 to 21 months, which means all your payments will go toward reducing the principal. 


Liz Knueven
Personal Finance Reporter

Liz was a personal finance reporter at Insider. 
Before joining Insider, she wrote about financial and automotive topics as a freelancer for brands like LendingTree and Credit Karma. 
She earned her bachelor’s degree in writing from The Savannah College of Art and Design. She lives and works in Cincinnati, Ohio. Find her on Twitter at @lizknueven.


Joseph Hostetler, CEPF
Credit cards reporter

Joseph Hostetler is a credit cards reporter for Insider who also covers helpful miles and points tricks. He is also a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF).
Joseph has more than six years of experience writing professionally about credit cards, previously authoring and editing for The Points Guy and Million Mile Secrets. 
You can reach Joseph at jhostetler@insider.com.
Learn more about how Personal Finance Insider chooses, rates, and covers financial products and services »


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