The credit score range used by both major U.S. scoring models FICO and VantageScore runs from 300 to 850.
A score of 670 or higher is generally considered "good" under FICO, while VantageScore draws that line at 661. The higher you sit, the better the borrowing terms you tend to see.
That said, the numbers alone don't tell the full story. There are actually a few different scoring systems, slightly different tier labels, and a 250–900 range for certain industry-specific FICO scores.
So before you fixate on a single number, it helps to know which range you're being measured against and what it actually signals to a lender.
Credit Score Range at a Glance
Here's a side-by-side look at how the two main scoring systems carve up the same 300–850 scale:
|
Tier |
FICO Score Range |
VantageScore Range |
|
Lowest tier |
300–579 (Poor) |
300–600 (Subprime) |
|
Below average |
580–669 (Fair) |
601–660 (Near Prime) |
|
Good |
670–739 (Good) |
661–780 (Prime) |
|
Strong |
740–799 (Very Good) |
— |
|
Top tier |
800–850 (Exceptional) |
781–850 (Super Prime) |
A quick thing worth flagging: FICO uses five tiers, VantageScore uses four. The "Prime" band on VantageScore is wider than FICO's "Good" band it stretches all the way up to 780.
These are industry conventions, not legal definitions, so different lenders may interpret them their own way.
What Each Credit Score Range Means
Signals each tier sends to lenders, plus a note on differing cutoffs.
FICO Score Ranges
- 300–579 (Poor): Sits well below the average. Approval odds for unsecured credit are limited, and approved offers usually carry higher rates.
- 580–669 (Fair): Better than poor, but still below where most lenders prefer to see applicants. Some loan products are accessible, often with stricter terms.
- 670–739 (Good): The conventional starting line for "good credit." Most mainstream credit products are within reach.
- 740–799 (Very Good): Typically opens up better rates and broader card options.
- 800–850 (Exceptional): The top band. Lenders generally view these borrowers as low-risk.
Per commonly cited FICO distribution data, roughly 71% of Americans fall into "Good" or higher. In practice, lenders don't treat the cutoffs as hard walls a 668 isn't dramatically different from a 670 in most underwriting decisions, even though the label flips.
VantageScore Ranges
- 300–600 (Subprime)
- 601–660 (Near Prime)
- 661–780 (Prime) — the rough VantageScore equivalent of "good."
- 781–850 (Super Prime)
VantageScore reports that around 64% of Americans land in Prime or Super Prime under its scoring.
Why the "Good" Cutoffs Differ Between FICO and VantageScore
Both models use the 300–850 scale, but they draw the lines slightly differently. FICO sets "Good" at 670; VantageScore sets "Prime" at 661. The reason is straightforward these are two separate companies with two separate methodologies.
They weigh similar inputs (payment history, balances, account age, mix, new credit) but not identically, and they label their tiers based on their own predictive models.
In practice, most consumers find their FICO and VantageScore numbers move in the same direction over time, even when the absolute values differ.
How Your Credit Score Is Calculated
Notes the two systems use similar inputs but different weights.
The Five FICO Scoring Factors
FICO publishes specific weightings for how its base score is built, as documented on the Wikipedia entry for Credit score in the United States:
|
Factor |
Weight |
|
Payment history |
35% |
|
Amounts owed |
30% |
|
Length of credit history |
15% |
|
New credit |
10% |
|
Credit mix |
10% |
Payment history carries the most weight, which is why a single missed payment can sting more than people expect. Amounts owed particularly credit card utilization is a close second. The other three matter, but their impact is smaller and slower-moving.
One thing worth knowing: these weightings are general. The actual influence of each factor on your specific score depends on what's in your credit file. A thin file behaves differently than a thick one.
VantageScore Factors (By Influence Level)
VantageScore doesn't publish exact percentages. Instead, it ranks factors by general influence:
- Payment history — Extremely influential
- Total credit usage — Highly influential
- Credit mix and experience — Highly influential
- New accounts opened — Moderately influential
- Balances and available credit — Less influential
The categories overlap with FICO's, though the labeling is different. Lenders in this space generally treat the two systems as related but not interchangeable.
What Credit Scores Do Not Consider
Both FICO and VantageScore exclude several categories from their calculations:
- Demographics — age, race, sex, religion, marital status, national origin.
- Address or location.
- Income and employment history (though lenders may consider these separately).
- Soft inquiries — including when you check your own score.
The exclusion of demographic data isn't a courtesy. It's required under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which prohibits creditors from making lending decisions based on those categories.
Why There Are Different Credit Scores
Frames why you have multiple scores rather than one.
FICO vs. VantageScore — The Two Main Systems
Both are scoring companies. They build models, sell them to lenders, and update them over time.
Lenders pick which one to use, and many use both. The 300–850 base range applies to both but as we'll see next, FICO has additional ranges for specific industries.
Base Scores vs. Industry-Specific Scores
FICO produces two broad categories of scores:
- Base FICO Scores: General-purpose, 300–850. Used across most lenders.
- Industry-specific FICO Scores: Tailored for auto lenders and credit card issuers. These range from 250 to 900.
The industry-specific scores still use the same 670–739 "Good" cutoff for their middle tiers, even though the overall range is wider.
VantageScore doesn't offer industry-specific variants it stays with a single tri-bureau model.
Why Your Score Differs Across Bureaus and Models
Three things drive the differences:
- Different bureaus hold different data. Not every lender reports to all three (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion).
- Different models weight factors differently. FICO 8 isn't the same as FICO 10. VantageScore 3.0 isn't the same as 4.0.
- The credit report is a moving target. Scores recalculate as new information arrives.
In practice, organisations in this space typically find that scores from different sources sit within a similar band they rise and fall together, even if the exact numbers vary by 20–40 points on any given day.
What Credit Score Range Do You Need for Common Goals?
Sets up that different goals require different scores.
Credit Score Range to Buy a House
Mortgage minimums vary by loan type. Based on commonly published lender requirements:
|
Mortgage Type |
Typical Minimum Credit Score |
|
Conventional loan |
620 |
|
FHA loan (3.5% down) |
580 |
|
FHA loan (10% down) |
500 |
|
VA loan |
620 (lender-set) |
|
USDA loan |
580–620 (lender-set) |
These are floor numbers. Hitting the minimum gets you in the door it doesn't get you the best rate.
Most borrowers find that landing in the "Good" range or higher meaningfully changes the interest rate offered, which compounds over a 30-year mortgage.
Credit Score Range to Buy a Car
There's no formal minimum for an auto loan. Lenders generally view scores in the upper Prime range (VantageScore 661+) as a comfortable threshold for standard terms.
Below that, expect higher APRs and possibly lower loan caps. Subprime borrowers can still get approved, but the cost of borrowing climbs.
Credit Score Range for Credit Cards and Renting
Premium rewards cards typically expect scores in the Good range and up. Starter cards and secured cards are accessible to people in the Fair and Poor ranges.
Landlords don't have a fixed cutoff, but many use credit reports as part of tenant screening a thin or troubled file can complicate an application even when income checks out.
How to Move Up to a Higher Credit Score Range
Frames improvement as habits, not hacks.
Pay Bills on Time
This is the single biggest lever. A payment that's 30 days past due can sit on your credit report for up to seven years. If you're going to miss one, call the creditor first many will work with you before reporting it.
Keep Credit Utilization Low
Utilization is the ratio of your credit card balances to your credit limits. The widely cited threshold is 30%, but in practice, people with the strongest scores tend to keep it in single digits.
Paying down balances before the statement closes not just before the due date is what actually moves the number.
Build a Longer Credit History
You can't fast-forward this one. Average account age matters, and opening several new accounts in a short window drags the average down. Patience does most of the work here.
Maintain a Healthy Credit Mix
A combination of installment accounts (auto loan, mortgage, personal loan) and revolving accounts (credit cards) tends to help. That said, don't open a loan just for the mix the cost rarely justifies the small scoring benefit.
Apply for New Credit Carefully
Each hard inquiry shaves a few points temporarily. Rate-shopping for the same loan type within a short window usually 14 to 45 days, depending on the model is typically counted as a single inquiry.
So shopping mortgage lenders in the same week isn't the problem; spreading credit card applications across months can be.
Review Your Credit Reports for Errors
Mistakes happen wrong balances, accounts that aren't yours, late marks that shouldn't be there.
You have the right to dispute anything inaccurate. Most consumer advocates recommend checking all three reports at least once a year.
Why Credit Scores Can Change
Notes that scores are dynamic, not static.
Common Reasons Scores Go Up
- Negative items aging off the report.
- Credit utilization dropping.
- New on-time payments accumulating.
- Paid-off collection accounts.
Common Reasons Scores Go Down
- A payment crossing the 30-days-past-due line.
- Utilization climbing.
- Opening a new account (temporary).
- Closing an old credit card (reduces total available credit, may shorten average age).
One that often surprises people: paying off a loan can sometimes drop your score by a few points.
If it was the only installment loan in your file, your credit mix narrows. The hit is usually small and temporary, but it's a real thing.
What If You Don't Have a Credit Score Yet?
Scoring models need something to work with. For a FICO score, you generally need at least one account that's six months old and has been reported in the past six months.
VantageScore is more lenient it can score a file with a single active account, even if it's only a month old.
If you're not scoreable yet, the common starting points are secured credit cards (you put down a deposit that becomes your credit limit), credit-builder loans, or becoming an authorized user on someone else's account.
None of these build credit overnight but a few months of consistent reporting is usually enough to get an initial score on the books.
Conclusion
The credit score range runs 300–850 for most scoring models, with "good" starting at 670 (FICO) or 661 (VantageScore).
What matters more than your exact number is the direction it's heading and the consistency of the habits behind it. Track it, but don't obsess over daily swings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a 700 credit score good?
Yes. A 700 sits comfortably within the "Good" range under FICO (670–739) and within Prime under VantageScore (661–780). It typically qualifies you for most mainstream credit products, though the best rates usually start a bit higher.
What is the average credit score in the U.S.?
As reported by CNBC, the average U.S. FICO Score fell to 715 in 2025 still within the "Good" range. Average scores had been climbing for over a decade before this recent dip.
Why do I have more than one credit score?
Because multiple scoring models exist. FICO and VantageScore each release several versions, and each can be calculated on data from any of the three credit bureaus. So you can easily have a dozen different scores at once.
Does checking my own credit score lower it?
No. Checking your own score counts as a soft inquiry, which has zero impact on your score. Only hard inquiries triggered by applying for credit affect it, and usually only slightly.
How often do credit scores update?
Scores can change anytime new information reaches the credit bureaus. Most accounts report monthly, so it's normal for scores to shift a few points throughout the month as balances and payments get updated.
