The recent years have not been easy for financial institutions. Bad loans, stock price declines and scandals have been almost daily headlines. Yet despite the tough environment, the number of campus card program and bank partnerships continued to grow in 2009.

Each year the editorial team at CR80News surveys financial institutions that actively work with higher education institutions to offer banking services as a part of the campus card program. While our respondents and other financial institutions offer a host of diverse services to campuses and their students, only relationships that integrate the official university-issued ID card as a banking tool are considered for the survey.

Since the inaugural CR80News survey was conducted in 2003, the number of partnerships has grown nearly threefold. A small number of financial institutions have come and gone from the survey but the core group of providers has remained consistent. From the beginning, five institutions have been active providers of services via campus cards. PNC Bank, TCF Bank, US Bank, Wachovia and Wells Fargo have consistently accounted for more than 80% of the partnerships identified via the survey.