Is 710 a Good Credit Score?

By Marcy Lovitch

(Last Updated – 06/2024)

Have a credit score of 710 and wonder where you stand in the big picture? Well, there’s good news. With a 710 credit score you are considered to have “good” credit by most lenders. Falling within this category puts you in a positive position when it comes to borrowing options and should give you access to a broad array of loans and credit cards.

That said, your 710 score falls below the top two FICO^® credit tiers, which are “very good” and “exceptional.” This means you likely won’t qualify for a lender’s best interest rates or loan terms or the best rewards credit cards. Read on to find out more about what a 710 credit score means, and what it can get you.

What Does a 710 Credit Score Mean?

Credit scores are three digit numbers, generally ranging from 300 to 850, that provide you with a snapshot of your overall credit health. They are calculated solely based on information in your credit reports (you have three credit reports — one from each of the consumer credit bureaus).

In the FICO scoring model, which is the most commonly used, a 710 credit score falls solidly into the “good” range (670 to 739), but below the “very good” (740 to 799) and “exceptional” (800+) tiers. With VantageScore^®, another popular credit scoring model, a 710 credit score also lands in the “good” range (661 to 780), just below the “excellent” tier (781 to 850).

You may have a good, and not better, credit score because you’re relatively new to credit or because you’ve made some mistakes in the past, such as the occasional late or missed payment or a tendency toward relatively high credit usage rates.

Still, your 710 credit score is close to the average credit score in the U.S., which is 717. It signals to lenders that you are an “acceptable” borrower and relatively low risk. According to Experian, only around 9% of consumers with good FICO scores are likely to become seriously delinquent on their debts in the future.

Recommended: FICO Score vs Credit Score

What Can You Get with a 710 Credit Score?

With a 710 credit score, most borrowing options will be available to you, and the terms are likely to be attractive. You might also experience benefits in other areas of your life. If you’re looking to rent an apartment, for example, a landlord may be more likely to rent to you over applicants with lower credit scores.

With a 710 credit score, you might also be able to sign up for a new utility account without a deposit requirement, or qualify for better car or homeowners insurance rates. A good credit score can also be helpful in the job market, since a potential employer might check your credit to assess your overall reliability. A 710 credit score means you likely don’t have any major red flags in your credit reports.

Can I Get a Credit Card with a 710 Credit Score?

Yes, you can likely get a credit card with a 710 credit score, including unsecured credit cards (which don’t require any type of deposit or collateral), cards that don’t charge annual fees, and even some rewards cards. You might also be able to qualify for a card with a 0% introductory annual percentage rate (APR).

However, you probably won’t be able to qualify for some of the best credit card offers on the market. To get approved for the top rewards credit cards, balance transfer offers, and 0% APR offers, lenders generally want to see excellent credit. In addition, you might not get as high of a credit limit as consumers with higher scores.

Keep in mind that what type of credit card offer you can get will depend not only on your credit score but other factors as well. Credit card issuers will typically look at an applicant’s other debts, employment history, and income.

Can I Get an Auto Loan with a 710 Credit Score?

Yes. People with credit scores lower than 710 are often able to get auto loans, so there’s no need to worry you won’t be able to secure decent financing for a car. According to Experian’s State of the Automotive Finance Market report for the first quarter of 2024, almost 69% of cars financed were for borrowers with credit scores of 661 or higher.

With a 710 credit score, however, you likely won’t be offered a lender’s most competitive APR. The Experian report found that, on average, prime borrowers (which they define as those with credit scores from 661 to 780) pay 6.89% for a new car loan and 9.04% on a used car loan. Borrowers with super prime credit (781 to 850), on the other hand, pay (on average) 5.38%. for a new car loan and 6.80% for a used car loan.

A quick side note: Some car lenders also use an industry-specific version of the FICO score called FICO Auto Score, which ranges from 250 to 900. This type of scoring is focused specifically on your ability to pay back debts.

Can I Get a Mortgage with a 710 Credit Score?

Yes, with a credit score of 710, you shouldn’t have a problem getting a mortgage for a home, provided your income, employment situation, and assets are sufficient to justify the loan. According to Experian, 31% of individuals with a 710 FICO score have a mortgage loan in their credit portfolios.

With a ”good” credit score of 710, you should be able to qualify for mortgage rates in line with national averages. However, you’re unlikely to get the lowest interest rates available. Lenders generally reserve these for borrowers with “very good” or “exceptional” credit scores.

When you apply for a mortgage, lenders will likely factor in other criteria, including your income and how much of a downpayment you are able to make. They may also look closely at your debt-to-income ratio (DTI), which is the percentage of your monthly gross income that is being used to pay your monthly debts. While a DTI of 43% is typically the cut-off for getting approved for a mortgage, lenders generally prefer ratios of no more than 36%.

Can I Get a Personal Loan with a 710 Credit Score?

Yes, you should be able to get a personal loan with 710 as your credit score, though perhaps not at a lender’s best rates.

Personal loans, which can range anywhere from $500 to $100,000, are available through banks, credit unions, and online lenders. Because these loans aren’t secured, you qualify primarily based on your creditworthiness as a borrower. Your credit score also helps to determine the rate you’ll pay for the loan. Generally, the better your credit, the lower your rate will be.

For example, the average APR range for a personal loan for borrowers with credit scores between 690 and 719 is 13.50% to 15.50%. For borrowers with higher scores (720 to 850), on the other hand, the average APR range is 10.73% to 12.50%

Once you qualify for a personal loan, you can use the funds for virtually any purpose, unlike specifically tailored loans such as for a car loan, student loan, or mortgage. Personal loans can be used for home improvements, credit card consolidation, medical debt, a large purchase, funeral costs, and more.

Takeaway

With a “good” credit score of 710, you’ll likely have access to a range of loan and credit card options with attractive rates and terms. Lenders will generally see you as an average risk, since your score isn’t far off from the average consumer credit score of 717.

That said, there’s still room for improvement, since a 710 score is right in the middle of FICO’s credit tiers, above “poor” and “fair” but below “very good” and “exceptional.” Building your credit — by making on-time credit payments, catching up on past-due accounts, and paying down revolving account balances — can help improve your credit profile and allow you to access lending products with lower rates in the future.

Think twice before turning to high-interest credit cards. Consider a SoFi personal loan instead. SoFi offers competitive fixed rates and same-day funding. Checking your rate takes just a minute.

SoFi’s Personal Loan was named NerdWallet’s 2024 winner for Best Personal Loan overall.

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