[javascript] how to get the selected index of a drop down

I have a normal dropdown which I want to get the currently selected index and put that in a variable. Jquery or javascript. Jquery perfered.

<select name="CCards">
<option value="0">Select Saved Payment Method:</option>
<option value="1846">test  xxxx1234</option>
<option value="1962">test2  xxxx3456</option>
</select> 

You can also use :checked for <select> elements

e.g.,

document.querySelector('select option:checked')
document.querySelector('select option:checked').getAttribute('value')

You don't even have to get the index and then reference the element by its sibling index.

If you are actually looking for the index number (and not the value) of the selected option then it would be

document.forms[0].elements["CCards"].selectedIndex 
/* You may need to change document.forms[0] to reference the correct form */

or using jQuery

$('select[name="CCards"]')[0].selectedIndex 

the actual index is available as a property of the select element.

var sel = document.getElementById('CCards');
alert(sel.selectedIndex);

you can use the index to get to the selection option, where you can pull the text and value.

var opt = sel.options[sel.selectedIndex];
alert(opt.text);
alert(opt.value);

This will get the index of the selected option on change:

$('select').change(function(){_x000D_
    console.log($('option:selected',this).index()); _x000D_
});

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>_x000D_
<select name="CCards">_x000D_
<option value="0">Select Saved Payment Method:</option>_x000D_
<option value="1846">test  xxxx1234</option>_x000D_
<option value="1962">test2  xxxx3456</option>_x000D_
</select>

<select name="CCards" id="ccards">
    <option value="0">Select Saved Payment Method:</option>
    <option value="1846">test  xxxx1234</option>
    <option value="1962">test2  xxxx3456</option>
</select>

<script type="text/javascript">

    /** Jquery **/
    var selectedValue = $('#ccards').val();

    //** Regular Javascript **/
    var selectedValue2 = document.getElementById('ccards').value;


</script>