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    Fair Credit Score

    600 Credit Score: What It Means & What You Can Get

    FHA with 3.5% down; basic unsecured cards; subprime auto.

    600
    300500620700740850

    Tier

    Fair

    580–619

    Percentile

    75%

    of Americans score higher

    Next tier

    620+

    Fair/Moderate

    What you qualify for

    What a 600 Credit Score Gets You in 2026

    Limited

    Mortgage

    FHA with 3.5% down

    Rates: 7.0–8.5%

    FHA 3.5% downVA (if eligible)

    Conventional options very limited. FHA is the primary path.

    Limited

    Auto Loan

    Subprime

    Rates: 12–18%

    Limited vehicle selection. Down payment usually required.

    Available

    Credit Cards

    Basic unsecured

    Capital One PlatinumMission Lane

    Low limits ($500–1,500). Possible annual fees.

    Limited

    Personal Loans

    Limited online options

    Rates: 18–30% APR

    OneMain, Upstart possible at small amounts.

    Limited

    Business Funding

    MCAs only

    Merchant cash advances only — expensive. Build personal credit first.

    Limited

    Apartment Rental

    Approval with conditions

    May need extra deposit or cosigner depending on landlord.

    Limited

    Truck / Equipment

    20–30% down

    Rates: 12–18%

    Possible with strong down payment.

    Comparison

    What Improving to 620 Unlocks

    At 600
    Fair
    At 620
    Fair/Moderate
    Mortgage
    FHA with 3.5% down · 7.0–8.5%
    After improving
    Conventional + FHA · 6.5–7.5%
    Auto loan
    Subprime · 12–18%
    After improving
    Near-prime · 8–12%
    Credit cards
    Basic unsecured
    After improving
    Standard cards
    Personal loans
    Limited online options · 18–30% APR
    After improving
    More options · 12–20% APR
    Business funding
    MCAs only
    After improving
    Short-term loans

    Lifetime mortgage savings

    $64,398

    Improving from 600 to 620 could save you this much on a $350,000 mortgage over 30 years.

    Your roadmap

    How to Get from 600 to 620

    Estimated timeline: 2–4 months

    1

    Reduce utilization to under 10%

    +20–40 pts30 days

    Below 10% is the sweet spot for FICO. Pay down balances before statement close dates.

    2

    Pay every account on time for 90+ days

    +10–20 pts3 months

    Recent payment history weighs more than older history. Auto-pay minimums to never miss.

    3

    Dispute remaining inaccurate items

    +15–30 pts30–45 days

    Even at this tier, errors are common. Focus on collections, late marks, and incorrect dates.

    4

    Request credit limit increases (soft pull)

    +5–10 ptsImmediate

    Higher limits at the same balance lower utilization automatically. Decline if hard-pull required.

    5

    Add a credit-mix product if needed

    +5–15 pts60–90 days

    If you only have credit cards, a small credit-builder loan adds installment-mix points.

    Average Credit Booster client improves 60–90 points in 4–6 months

    Interactive Tool

    Score Impact Simulator

    Adjust the levers to see how each action affects your projected score.

    0 items
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    No change
    0 accounts
    0 items

    Projected Score

    600
    Fair
    +0 points from 600

    FAQ

    Frequently Asked Questions About a 600 Credit Score

    Ready to Go from 600 to 620?

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