Credit Score Chart: Learn About Credit Score Ranges

Your credit score is a three-digit number that has a strong influence on your financial life. It can influence how much interest you’ll have to pay on loans and credit cards, or whether you’ll be able to get them at all. It could also influence the kind of home or car you’ll be able to buy.

What are FICO® Credit Score ranges?

FICO® Scores are calculated with algorithms created by the Fair Isaac Corp., which is why they’re called FICO® Credit Scores. FICO® Scores generally range from 300 to 850.

There are five levels of credit score ranges on the FICO® Score scale.

• Exceptional: A score of 800 or above puts you in the highest FICO® Credit Score range. Falling anywhere in the “exceptional” range means you should qualify for most credit card offers as long as you meet other application requirements.
• Very Good: The “very good” range usually means you have a credit score of 744 – 799. People in this range are considered dependable borrowers.
• Good: If your score is between 670-739, you’ll fall into the “good” range. This means you’re considered dependable, but you may have had a late payment in the past, carry higher debt levels or you may not have a long credit history.
• Fair: A credit score of 580 – 669 means you’re in the “fair” range. You likely made a payment that was 30 days late or more, carry a high debt load and this means you won’t be eligible for the best interest rates.
• Poor: When you have defaulted on loans or frequently pay your bills more than a month late, your credit score is likely to be poor, and you may not qualify for a credit card or loan if you apply.

How to stay on top of your credit score

Generally, people with a good credit score have a long history of making their credit card and other loan payments on time. Payment history typically makes up 35% of the total calculation. Amounts owed typically makes up about 30%. Other considerations are length of credit history, about 15%; credit mix (having accounts such as mortgages, loans and credit cards), about 10%; and new credit (or credit inquiries received from new creditors) about 10%.

Monitor your credit report to stay in the right credit score range

The data in your credit report directly affects your FICO® Scores and it’s a good idea to check your credit report once per year through the free resource, AnnualCreditReport.com. Similarly, if you have signed up for a service to check your credit score or you are provided your score by a lender, for example, you’ll know where you stand. And when you know more about your score, you can find out where you fall on this credit score chart.