The median credit limit on a new card from a large U.S. bank was $600 for borrowers with credit scores under 660 in the second quarter of 2026. It was $2,700 for scores of 660 to 719 and $7,000 for scores of 720 and up.
18.52% of new card accounts at these banks went to people with scores under 660, up from 16.08% a year earlier. The median under-660 limit was $500 a year earlier, and across the whole series since Q3 2012 it has ranged from $420 to $750.
Median credit limit on new cards, by credit score
| Quarter | Under 660 | 660 to 719 | 720 and up | Share of new accounts under 660 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q3 2012 | $700 | $1,760 | $4,339 | 20.49% |
| Q4 2019 | $560 | $1,980 | $5,078 | 24.23% |
| Q2 2024 | $750 | $2,500 | $7,000 | 16.48% |
| Q2 2025 | $500 | $2,600 | $7,000 | 16.08% |
| Q3 2025 | $700 | $2,500 | $7,000 | 16.40% |
| Q4 2025 | $700 | $2,500 | $6,200 | 17.72% |
| Q1 2026 | $500 | $2,600 | $7,200 | 19.18% |
| Q2 2026 | $600 | $2,700 | $7,000 | 18.52% |
The CSV has every quarter from Q3 2012. Medians are rounded by the source, so small changes can show up as jumps of $100.
What this counts
The figures are the median original credit limit on credit card accounts opened during the quarter, grouped by the borrower’s credit score at the time. A median means half of new accounts in the group got a lower limit and half got a higher one. Store cards and general-purpose cards are counted together. A secured card’s limit usually equals the deposit.
The Philadelphia Fed builds these figures from account-level data that the largest U.S. banks file with the Federal Reserve on form FR Y-14M. They cover only banks large enough to file it, so smaller banks and credit unions are not included. FRED dates each quarter to its first day.
For what a limit means for your score, our utilization calculator shows how a balance compares with a limit.
Source
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Large Bank Consumer Credit Card Balances (FR Y-14M data), retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (RCCCOLIMMEDSCORELT660, RCCCOLIMMEDSCORE660T719, RCCCOLIMMEDSCOREGTE720, RCCCOACTPCTSCORELT660). FRED shows the series last updated October 7, 2026. We pulled them on October 15, 2026. Our table is available under CC BY 4.0. Credit "My Credit Guide (mycreditguide.org)".
Steven Reynolds, "Credit Limits on New Cards by Credit Score," My Credit Guide, October 15, 2026, https://mycreditguide.org/data/new-credit-card-limits-by-score/.