MastercardSallie Mae Rewards Mastercard
By Alex Compton · Last verified
5 percent on gas, groceries and Amazon-as-books, neutered in 2017.
Welcome Bonus
None recorded
Last recorded offer
Spend Requirement
None recorded
Last recorded requirement
Annual Fee
$0
Last recorded · No FTF
Credit Score
670+
(Good)
Common Questions
Is the Sallie Mae Rewards Mastercard discontinued?
Yes. Discontinued. 5 percent on gas, groceries and Amazon-as-books, neutered in 2017.
What can I use instead of the Sallie Mae Rewards Mastercard?
The closest open alternatives we track are the Wyndham Rewards Earner Card, JetBlue Card, GM Rewards Mastercard. Each links to our full review with its current offer and complete breakdown.
Open Alternatives
The Sallie Mae is gone, but these cards do a similar job and are still accepting applications.
Free Gold status and 5x on gas without paying a dime.
A free way to keep TrueBlue points flowing between trips.
3x on everything, as long as everything you want is a Chevy, GMC, Buick or Cadillac.
Historical Offers Chart
Every public offer change we've tracked. Hover for details, timing your application is worth hundreds of dollars.
| Observed | Offer | Requirement | What changed | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-09 | $25 | No recorded spend | Terms reconfirmedFinal offer, applications closed September 30, 2016 | Archive record · no attached snapshot |
| 2014-08 | $25 | No recorded spend | Earliest record25 dollars after first purchase, the joke bonus on a serious 5 percent card | Archive record · no attached snapshot |
Primary-source verification log
Append-only evidence ledgerEvent-level primary-source attachments begin with the September 2026 verification system. Older records remain visible but are not retroactively presented as evidenced.
Historical record · spot an outdated offer? Report a correction above.
Last Recorded Earning Rates
These terms are historical context and are not presented as current.
- 5xGas stationsOn the first 250 dollars per month
- 5xGrocery storesOn the first 250 dollars per month
- 5xBookstoresOn the first 750 dollars per month, and Amazon coded as a bookstore
- 1xEverything else
Last Recorded Credits
No statement credits, this card wins on earn rates, not coupons.
Last Recorded Benefits
Confirm availability and enrollment requirements with the issuer.
- ✦Amazon gift card reloads at 5 percent through the bookstore category
- ✦Monthly caps reset 12 times a year instead of quarterly
Why it earns its spot
- +Triple 5 percent categories on a no-fee card
- +The 750 dollar monthly bookstore cap made it an Amazon card in disguise
Where it costs you
- −Tight monthly caps limited absolute earnings
- −Replaced overnight by a 2 percent card nobody wanted
The Compound Verdict
The Sallie Mae card paid 5 percent on gas, groceries and bookstores, and since Amazon coded as a bookstore the hobby treated it as a 5 percent Amazon card with a 750 dollar monthly allowance. Barclays stopped applications at the end of September 2016, and on March 1, 2017 existing cards were converted to the forgettable 2 percent Commence Mastercard, later folded into Barclaycard Rewards. Few nerfs were mourned louder.
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