Our take in 10 seconds
At 620 the question flips from "will anyone approve me?" to "how much extra am I paying for approval?" The honest answer: still a meaningful premium — mortgage pricing at 620 versus 740 differs by real money monthly, and the same spread runs through auto, cards, and insurance. Everything approves; everything charges. The 50-point run from 620 to 670 pays better than almost any financial move available to you.
Where you stand
What 620 means on the ladder
Poorunder 580
under 580
Fair YOU580–669
580–669
Good670–739
670–739
Very good740–799
740–799
Exceptional800–850
800–850
You're mid-fair — but 620's importance isn't the band, it's the underwriting lines drawn exactly here: conventional mortgages (Fannie/Freddie minimums), most flexible home equity lenders, and many banks' personal-loan floors. Crossing 620 is why your mailbox changed tone.
The real menu
What 620 unlocks — and what it still costs
| Product | At 620, honestly |
|---|---|
| Mortgages | Conventional loans open here — but pricing adjustments at 620 are heavy. FHA often beats conventional at this exact score. |
| Home equity | Flexible-lender home equity loans start around 620. Bank HELOCs mostly still want 640-660+. |
| Personal loans | Real approvals with mid-tier pricing. Model-driven lenders reward the income/employment side of your file here. |
| Auto loans | Near-prime tiers begin. If you financed a car in the 500s, 620 is when refinancing starts paying. |
| Credit cards | Unsecured approvals get routine; limits stay modest. Utilization discipline matters more than new cards. |
The 620 trap: buying the most expensive thing that approves you. A 620 mortgage approval at 620 pricing, a near-prime car loan on a stretched budget — approval is not affordability. The tier's superpower is patience: at 670 every one of these deals reprices in your favor.
The run to 670
Fifty points that pay better than any investment
From 620, the path to good credit is mostly subtraction: no new inquiries you don't need, utilization trending under 30% and then under 10%, and time doing its compounding. If old collections linger, verify and dispute — and if you're carrying card debt that keeps utilization pinned, run the payoff math: consolidating it can drop utilization overnight, which is the one honest score shortcut that exists.
Mid-600s files are where rates start rewarding youCheck what your actual number gets at Upstart — soft pull, two minutes, and the offer reflects more than your score.
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Questions
FAQ
Is 620 a good credit score?
It's mid-fair — the average American is around 715, so 620 sits below average. But it's the first score where the conventional lending world fully engages: approvals become normal and the fight shifts to pricing.
Can I buy a house with a 620 credit score?
Yes — 620 is the standard conventional minimum, and FHA is comfortably available. Compare both: at exactly 620, FHA's pricing often beats conventional because conventional loan-level adjustments hit hardest at the minimum.
Can I get a HELOC with a 620 credit score?
Bank HELOCs mostly start at 640-660, so 620 usually means flexible-lender home equity loans instead — or the alternatives in our bad-credit equity guide if the bank route fails. Twenty more points changes this answer.
How much does going from 620 to 680 save?
Across a mortgage, car loan, and cards, commonly thousands per year — mortgage pricing tiers alone step down meaningfully at 640, 660, and 680. It's the highest-yield 60 points on the scale.
Why did my score stall at 620?
Usually one of three anchors: utilization parked above 30%, a recent late still weighing, or thin positive history. The fix matches the anchor — pay down, wait out, or add one well-managed tradeline.