Is a 600 credit score good or bad?

A 600 credit score is considered 'fair', you're on the border of unlocking significantly better financial products. You qualify for FHA mortgages with just 3.5% down, basic credit cards, and subprime auto loans. Improving to 620+ opens conventional mortgages and much better rates.

How long does it take to improve from 600 to 620?

Improving from 600 to 620 typically takes 2–4 months with consistent effort. Focus on paying down credit card balances below 10% utilization and disputing any inaccurate negative items on your reports.

What's the fastest way to improve a 600 credit score?

To quickly improve a 600 score: (1) pay down all credit card balances to under 10% of your limits, this alone can boost your score 20–40 points within 30 days, (2) dispute any late payments or collections that are inaccurate, (3) request credit limit increases on existing cards (soft pull only), and (4) avoid any new hard inquiries for the next 6 months.

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

Reduce utilization to under 10%

+20–40 pts30 days

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

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.

Dispute remaining inaccurate items

+15–30 pts30–45 days

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

Request credit limit increases (soft pull)

+5–10 ptsImmediate

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

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.

Remove collections0 items

Remove late payments0 items

Reduce credit utilizationNo change

Add authorized-user tradelines0 accounts

Remove disputed inquiries0 items

Projected Score

600

Fair

+0 points from 600

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions About a 600 Credit Score

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Related Credit Score Guides

Poor

560

FHA mortgage with 10% down; secured cards; high-rate auto loans.

Fair

580

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

Fair/Moderate

620

Conventional mortgage; standard cards; near-prime auto rates.

Fair/Moderate

640

Conventional mortgage; standard cards; near-prime auto rates.

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