CFPB releases college credit card report

February 20, 2026 - 00:21

For the first time since 2017, the total number of college- and university-affiliated credit card issuers did not decrease, holding steady at 133 agreements nationwide. This plateau follows a significant, multi-year contraction in the market, which had seen the number of such partnerships fall sharply from over 1,000 in the years following the 2009 CARD Act.

The latest annual report on these agreements reveals that the total number of open accounts under these programs grew by approximately 4.6% to 1.6 million. Furthermore, the total dollars paid to institutions and affiliated organizations, such as alumni associations and athletic foundations, increased by 13% to reach $59.4 million. Payments are typically made in the form of royalties based on account activity.

The report underscores that while the market has stabilized, the nature of agreements has evolved. The vast majority of new accounts are now opened by alumni, donors, and other affinity groups rather than by current students. This shift reflects industry changes and regulatory scrutiny aimed at protecting younger consumers from aggressive marketing practices on campus. The data provides a snapshot of a financial product that remains a notable, though transformed, source of revenue for many higher education institutions.