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What are Credit Score Ranges? contents
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What are Credit Score Ranges?

11 min read
Last Updated: September 24, 2025
Getting a credit card

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Key Takeaways

  1. Each credit scoring model may calculate your credit scores differently, based on information from your credit report.

  2. Credit scores are typically categorized into credit ranges.

  3. A score in the “fair” or “poor” range may make it difficult to access credit, while a score in the “excellent” range may help you access many credit options.

Your credit score is a small number that may have a major impact on your financial life. The minimum credit score is 300, and the maximum credit score is 850. But the average credit score falls somewhere in between. To make scores simpler for lenders and borrowers alike, scoring agencies categorize them into credit score ranges. Your credit score range may influence everything from the apartment you rent to the interest rate on your credit card.

 

When you understand your credit score range, you can make informed decisions about your spending, borrowing, and saving practices.

 

You can also take proactive steps to stay on top of your credit score, paving the way for a more secure financial future.

What is a credit score?

Your credit score is a powerful three-digit number that helps financial institutions predict your future credit behaviour.

 

As you use your credit account, the credit card company shares your activity with at least one of the major credit bureaus. Each credit bureau (or credit reporting agency) uses that information to create your credit report, which is the basis for your credit scores.

 

Lenders use your credit score to estimate your credit risk, the likelihood that you won’t repay your balance. A higher credit score indicates a lower credit risk.

 

Fortunately, a credit score is like a snapshot of your credit at a given moment in time. If you have a poor credit score today, don’t despair. Responsible habits may improve your credit score over time.

Why are credit scores important?

Lenders–and others, such as landlords–view your credit score as one sign of your financial capability. A good credit score may make it easier to qualify for a credit card, loan, or apartment.

With a higher credit score, you may qualify for a lower interest rate on a credit card, which may save you money or make it easier to repay your balance. You may also qualify for a card that offers more rewards and perks.

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Lenders might be concerned about your financial reliability if you have a lower credit score. They might deny your credit application, charge you more interest, or approve you for a smaller credit limit.

 

Different creditors have different minimum credit score requirements. A lower credit score might make it hard to attain credit cards, bank loans, home mortgages, or rental units, but that’s not always the case.

Why do you have different credit scores?

You may have a few different credit scores. Each credit scoring agency uses a different scoring model to transform the information from your credit report into a three-digit number that demonstrates your credit risk.

 

While scoring models serve the same purpose, they calculate scores a little differently. Lenders also don’t always report all your activity to each major credit bureau. So, you may notice a different credit score from one credit bureau to the next, based on the information and scoring model that shape each calculation.

What are credit score ranges?

Credit scoring agencies categorize each credit score into a range. Higher credit scores indicate less risk to lenders. So, people with credit scores that fall into the top ranges typically qualify for more credit offers, lower interest rates, and higher credit limits than scores in the lower ranges.

 

Knowing where your credit score falls may help you apply for the best offers and take steps to improve your score.

Did you know?

If you’re a Discover® Cardmember, you can get a free Credit Scorecard with your FICO® Credit Score and important information behind it, like credit utilization, number of missed payments, number of recent inquiries, length of credit history, and total number of accounts.1

Learn More

FICO® Credit Score scale

The Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) Score is based on their algorithms.1 Most FICO® Scores fall in the range from 300 to 850.

 

There are five credit score ranges on the FICO® Score scale1.

Falling anywhere in the “exceptional” range means you may qualify for most credit card offers when you meet other application requirements.

Lenders generally consider people in this range highly dependable borrowers who make responsible debt choices.

A “good” credit score means you’re considered dependable, but you may have small credit issues, like a late payment in the past or short credit history.

Consumers in this range likely made a payment that was 30 days late or more, carry a high debt load, or have other negative information on their report, and won’t be eligible for the best interest rates.

When you have defaulted on loans or frequently pay your bills more than a month late, your credit score is likely to be poor. It may be difficult to qualify for a credit card with a poor credit score.

VantageScore® credit score scale

VantageScore® is another commonly used credit scoring agency. Like the FICO® Score range, VantageScores fall between 300 and 850. But the VantageScore® credit score range is a little different. According to TransUnion, VantageScore® 3.0 has four scoring ranges.

People with scores in this range have strong credit habits and may qualify for the best credit card offers.

People with a credit score in this range likely have a strong credit history. They may have had a few small issues, like relatively high credit utilization.

Scores in the fair range are considered subprime. With a fair credit score, you may have fewer credit options and high interest rates.

People with a poor credit score may have missed credit card payments or maxed out accounts. You may want to work on rebuilding your credit score before applying for a new account.

What are credit scoring models?

FICO® and VantageScore® are two popular scoring models, but they’re not the only two. A scoring model is a statistical analysis that helps credit bureaus determine your creditworthiness—the likelihood that you’ll repay your outstanding debts.

 

Scoring models use algorithms to interpret the information from your credit report, like your payment history and credit mix, into a credit score that prospective lenders may easily understand.

 

Different scoring models may emphasize unique aspects of your credit file, based on their purpose.

Factors that affect your credit score

You don’t have to guess what goes into calculating your credit scores. By understanding these categories, you can practice habits that help you build and maintain your credit history.

 

FICO® Credit Scores consider the following for the general population1:

Your payment history is your record of making payments on time and whether you’ve missed any payments. Late and missed payments may negatively impact your score, while on-time payments have a positive impact.

The amount of credit you’re using compared to the total amount of credit you’ve been provided impacts your score. For example, if you have a credit card balance of $4,000 on a credit card with a credit limit of $10,000, you’re using 40% of your available credit for that card.

 

The total portion of your available credit in use at a given time is called your credit utilization ratio. A lower credit utilization ratio is generally better for your credit score because creditors may think that someone using a large percentage of their available credit is having financial trouble.

The length of your credit history encompasses both the age of your oldest credit account and the average age of all your accounts. Creditors want to see that you’ve had experience using credit and that you’ve maintained a credit card or paid down a loan over the long term.

Your credit mix refers to the variety of credit types that you use, including credit cards, car loans, personal loans, mortgages, and more. Managing a mix of credit types can show that you’re a more responsible borrower and help your credit scores.

When you apply for credit, the lender typically requests your credit report and score from a credit bureau. This request is called a hard inquiry. Too many hard inquiries in a short period of time may suggest you’re seeking a lot of new credit due to a financial issue, which may hurt your overall score.

VantageScore® assesses similar categories, but weighs them differently. Generally, payment history is extremely influential; total credit use, experience, and credit mix are highly influential; new accounts are moderately influential; and balances and available credit are less influential.

 

Depending on your credit history, some factors may have a higher influence on your credit scores than others. For example, if you just started building credit history and have only one account, then maxing out your card may have a major impact.

Learn how credit scores work

What doesn’t affect your credit score?

Your credit score is based solely on information from your credit report that relates to your debt management history. Many aspects of your life and finances have no impact on your credit score.

 

Under U.S. law, your race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, and marital status cannot affect your credit scores, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Receiving public assistance or exercising your rights under the Consumer Credit Protection Act likewise can’t legally affect your score.

 

Other factors that don’t impact your credit score include your employment status, salary, and location. Bills that aren’t connected to a line of credit, like utilities and rent, also don’t typically affect your credit score.

How to improve your credit score

If you have a “fair credit score” or even a “poor credit score”, don’t panic. By taking proactive measures and practicing responsible habits, you may earn higher credit scores over time.

Read your credit reports carefully

A small error in your credit report may have a significant impact on your credit score. For example, if your report says that you missed a payment months after you’ve paid your bill, your payment history may take a big blow. The sooner you notice and dispute an error, the sooner a credit bureau may correct it and repair your credit score.

Charge only what you can afford

A credit card may help you manage your money by giving you a way to pay for something without having cash on hand. But if you begin using your card for expensive purchases without a plan to pay them off, you may find yourself in credit card debt.

 

You can help protect your credit score by charging only what you can quickly repay with cash or developing a budget to manage larger purchases.

Pay down your debts

Juggling high balances on multiple credit cards may lead to a high credit utilization ratio and make it difficult to manage your credit card bills. Paying down your debts may help. If possible, try to pay more than the monthly minimum on your credit card accounts. You may try to tackle your highest-interest debt first, or start with the lowest credit card balance.

Take advantage of payment alerts and autopay

Your credit card company may offer alerts that let you know when your payment due date is approaching. Or you may enroll in automatic bill pay, which takes funds from a checking account or savings account automatically each month. That way, even if you forget, you never miss a payment.

The bottom line

Your credit score is an important indicator of your financial well-being and a tool that may help you access the credit you need. But remember, your credit score isn’t permanent. If you have a lower score than you’d like, you may turn it around with responsible habits. The more you understand how credit bureaus determine your credit scores, the better equipped you may become to make excellent credit choices.

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