Credit Cards

• 13.04% (all fixed)
• 14.44% (all variable)

Here's a look at the state of credit card rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Dec. 15, 2010.

The average purchase APR for fixed-rate credit cards held at 13.04 percent, while the mean variable rate dipped 1 basis point to 14.44 percent.

Credit cards are a "top priority" for Elizabeth Warren, who serves as an assistant to President Barack Obama and a special adviser to the Treasury secretary to set up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. During the first of the Treasury's new "Five Questions" interview series, Warren stressed the need to make disclosures clearer to consumers, saying, "This agency will drive toward making the costs clear, making the risks clear, and making it easy for consumers to compare one product with another."

Bankrate.com makes it easier to find cash-back credit cards and low-rate cards. You can search by issuer, card type or credit score.