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A fair credit score falls in the mid-lower range of the credit-scoring spectrum. With the FICO® scoring model, which ranges from 300 to 850, a fair score is 580 to 669.

Fair credit is better than poor credit but below the average credit score. While you’ll likely be able to get a credit card or loan with fair credit, you probably won’t qualify for the most favorable rates and terms.

Read on to learn how fair credit compares with other credit score ranges, the difference having good credit can make, and what you can do to build your credit.

What Is Fair Credit?

What “fair credit” means will depend on the scoring model. With FICO, the most widely used credit score by lenders in the U.S., fair credit is a score between 580 and 669. With VantageScore®, another popular scoring model, fair credit is a score of 600 to 660.

The fair credit range is above poor credit but below good credit, and is considered to be in the subprime score range.

Credit scores are calculated using information found in your credit reports (you have three, one from each of the major consumer credit bureaus). People typically have multiple, not just one, credit score, and these scores can vary depending on the scoring model and which of your three credit reports the scoring system analyzes. While each score may be slightly different, they typically fall into similar ranges and scoring categories, such as poor, fair, good, and excellent/exceptional.

Is Fair Credit Good or Bad?

As the name “fair” implies, this score is okay, but not great. A fair credit score isn’t the lowest category on the FICO chart — that’s the poor credit category, which runs from 300-579. But it’s definitely not the highest either. Above fair credit, there is good credit (670-739), very good credit (740-799), and exceptional credit (800-850).

With a fair credit score, lenders will likely see you as an above-average risk and, as a result, charge you more upfront fees and higher interest rates. They may also approve you for a lower loan amount or credit limit.

With fair credit, you might also have difficulty getting approved for certain financial products. For example, you might need a higher credit score to get the best rewards cards or certain types of mortgages. Landlords and property managers may also have credit score requirements. You might have to pay a larger security deposit if you have a fair credit score.

Is a 620 Credit Score Fair?

Yes, 620 is within the 580-669 range for a fair FICO score and, thus, would be considered a fair credit score. A 620 is also in the VantageScore range for fair (600 to 660).

Why Do I Need to Know My Credit Scores?

A credit score is a three-digit number designed to represent someone’s credit risk (the likelihood you’ll pay your bills on time). Lenders use your credit scores — along with the information in your credit reports — to help determine whether to approve you for a loan or credit line and, if so, at what rates and terms. Many landlords, utility companies, insurance companies, cell phone providers, and employers also look at credit scores.

Knowing your credit score and credit score range can help you understand your current credit position. It also provides a baseline from which you can implement change. With time and effort, you may be able to build your credit and gradually move your credit score into a higher category, possibly all the way up to exceptional.

Recommended: How to Apply for a Personal Loan

Using Credit Bureaus to Find Credit Scores

It’s a good idea to periodically review your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax®, Experian®, and TransUnion®) to make sure all of the information is accurate, since errors can bring down your scores. You can get free weekly copies of your reports at AnnualCreditReport.com .

However, your credit reports will not contain your credit scores.

Fortunately, there are easy ways to get your credit scores, often for free. Many credit card companies, banks, and loan companies have started providing credit scores for their customers. It may be on your statement, or you can access it online by logging into your account.

You can also purchase credit scores directly from one of the three major credit bureaus or other providers, such as FICO. Some credit score services and credit-scoring sites provide a free credit score to users. Others may provide credit scores to credit monitoring customers paying a monthly subscription fee.

Reasons Your Credit Score Might Be Fair

Your credit scores are based on information in your credit reports, and different things can help or hurt your scores. FICO scores are based on the following five factors.

1. Payment History

This looks at whether you’ve made your debt payments on time every month and is the most important factor in computing your FICO credit score. Even one payment made 30 days late can significantly harm your score. An account sent to collections, a foreclosure, or a bankruptcy can have even more significant and lasting consequences.

2. Amounts Owed

This notes the total amount you’ve borrowed, including how much of your available credit you’re currently using (called your credit utilization rate). If you’re tapping a sizable percentage of your available credit on your credit cards (such as 30% or more), for example, that can have a negative impact on your score.

3. Length of Credit History

Experience with credit accounts generally makes people better at managing debt (research bears this out). As a result, lenders generally see borrowers with a longer credit history (i.e., older accounts) more favorably than those that are new to credit. All things being equal, the longer your credit history, the higher your credit score is likely to be.

4. Credit Mix

This looks at how many different types of debt you are managing, such as revolving debt (e.g., credit cards and credit lines) and installment debt (such as personal loans, auto loans, and mortgages). The ability to successfully manage multiple debts and different credit types tends to benefit your credit scores.

5. New Credit

Research shows that taking on new debt increases a person’s risk of falling behind on their old debts. As a result, credit scoring systems can lower your score a small amount after a hard credit inquiry (which occurs when you apply for a new loan or credit card). The decrease is small, typically less than five points per inquiry, and temporary — it generally only lasts a few months.

Steps That Can Help Build Fair Credit

While you may still be able to qualify for loans with fair credit, building your credit can help you get better rates and terms. Here are some moves that may help.

•   Pay your bills on time. Having a long track record of on-time payments on your credit card and loan balances can help build a positive payment history. Do your best to never miss a payment, since this can result in a negative mark on your credit reports.

•   Pay down credit card balances. If you’re carrying a large balance on one or more credit cards, it can be helpful to pay down that balance. This will lower your credit utilization rate.

•   Consider a secured credit card. If you’re new to credit or have a fair or low credit score, you may be able to build your credit by opening a secured credit card. These cards require you to pay a security deposit up front, which makes them easier to qualify for. Using a secured card responsibly can add positive payment information into your credit reports.

•   Monitor your credit. It’s a good idea to closely examine the information in your three credit reports to make sure it’s all accurate. Any errors can drag down your score. If you see any inaccuracies, you’ll want to reach out to the lender reporting the information. You can also dispute errors on your credit report with the credit bureaus.

•   Limit hard credit inquiries. Opening too many new credit accounts within a short period of time could hurt your scores because credit scoring formulas take recent credit inquiries into account. When rate shopping, be sure that a lender will only run a soft credit check (which won’t impact your scores).

Reasons to Improve Your Credit Score

Building your credit takes time and diligence, but can be well worth the effort, since our scores impact so many different parts of our lives.

Loans

Credit scores are used by lenders to gauge each consumer’s creditworthiness and determine whether to approve their applications for loans. A higher score makes you more likely to qualify for mortgages, auto loans, and different types of personal loans. It also helps you qualify for more favorable lending rates and terms.

Credit Cards

Credit card issuers typically reserve cards with lower annual percentage rates (APRs), more enticing rewards, and higher credit limits for applicants who have higher credit scores. A fair credit score may qualify you for a credit card with a high APR and little or no perks. Building your credit score could potentially give you the boost you need to qualify for a better credit card.

Security Deposits

Just found your dream apartment? A fair credit score could mean a higher security deposit than if you had a good or better credit score. With a poor or fair credit score, you may also be asked to pay security deposits for cell phones or basic utilities like electricity.

Housing Options

A fair or poor credit score can even limit which housing options are available to you in the first place. Some landlords and property management companies require renters to clear a minimum credit bar to qualify.

Recommended: Typical Personal Loan Requirements Needed for Approval

Can You Get Personal Loans With Fair Credit?

It’s possible to get a personal loan with fair credit (or a FICO score between 580 and 669), but your choices will likely be limited.

Personal loan lenders use credit scores to gauge the risk of default, and a fair credit score often indicates you’ve had some issues with credit in the past. In many cases, borrowers with fair credit may be offered personal loans with higher rates, steeper fees, shorter repayment periods, and lower loan limits than those offered to borrowers with good to exceptional credit.

Although some lenders offer fair credit loans, you’ll likely need to do some searching to find a lender that will give you competitive rates and terms.

The Takeaway

Having a fair credit score, which is better than a poor score, doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t qualify for any type of credit. However, the rates and terms you’ll be offered may not be as favorable as those someone with higher scores can get. With time and effort, however, you can move up the credit scoring ladder. If you work on building your credit score until you have good or better credit, you’ll gain access to credit cards and loans with lower interest rates and more perks.

Think twice before turning to high-interest credit cards. Consider a SoFi personal loan instead. SoFi offers competitive fixed rates and same-day funding. See your rate in minutes.

FAQ

Is fair credit good or bad?

A fair credit score is neither good nor bad, it’s just okay. FICO credit scores range from 300 to 850 and a fair score is 580 to 669.

What’s considered a fair credit score?

According to the FICO scoring model, which ranges from 300 to 850, a fair credit score is one that falls between 580 and 669. It’s one step up from a poor credit rating but below good, very good, and exceptional.

Is a 620 credit score fair?

Yes, a 620 credit score is considered to be in the fair range. According to the FICO scoring model, which ranges from 300 to 850, a fair credit score is one that falls between 580 and 669.

Photo credit: iStock/Ivan Pantic

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

SOPL-Q425-043

Credit cards and personal lines of credit both allow you to borrow money over time until you hit a credit limit. You typically pay back what you owe on a monthly basis, paying interest on your balance.

Each method has its pros and cons (for example, while a line of credit may have a lower interest rate, it likely won’t offer rewards and may be tougher to qualify for). Here, you’ll learn the ins and outs of a personal line of credit vs. a credit card so you can decide which is right for you.

What Is a Personal Line of Credit?

A personal line of credit operates under the same concept as a credit card, with slight differences. It’s a type of revolving credit that allows you to borrow a set amount, which is typically based on your income. Here are details to know:

•   The majority of personal lines of credit are unsecured, meaning there’s no collateral at risk if you default on payments. However, you can obtain a secured personal line of credit at some institutions if you put down a deposit. This deposit will be used to pay your balance due if you default on payments, but it can also help you achieve a lower interest rate.

•   A home equity line of credit (or HELOC) is similar to a secured personal line of credit in that your house acts as the collateral in the loan. You’re borrowing against the equity in your home. If you default on payments, your house could be foreclosed on to make up the difference.

How Does a Personal Line of Credit Work?

Get acquainted with how a personal line of credit works:

•   As with any other credit transaction, personal lines of credit are reported to the three major credit bureaus. You will have to provide details about your financial standings in order to qualify for a personal line of credit. Typically, this comes in the form of demonstrating your income, in addition to other requirements.

•   The interest rate for a personal line of credit usually fluctuates with the market conditions, such as the prime rate. You may also have to pay a fee each time you use your personal line of credit.

•   Some banking institutions may require you to have a checking account established with them before offering you a personal line of credit. This is critical for using your personal line of credit, since the money can be transferred to a linked checking account. (In some cases, you might receive funds via a payment card (similar to a debit card) or use special checks to move the funds.

•   Personal lines of credit contain what’s called a “draw period.” During this predetermined amount of time, you can use your available credit as you please, as long as you don’t go over the limit.

•   Once the draw period reaches its end, you may be required to either pay your remaining balance in full or pay it off by a certain date after that.

What Is a Credit Card?

Is a credit card a line of credit? Not exactly. A credit card is a type of unsecured revolving credit that includes a credit limit. This limit is determined by your financial situation, which requires a hard credit check. There are credit cards for practically all types of credit scores, from poor all the way up to excellent.

Many credit cards offer rewards in the form of cash back or travel rewards. You may also receive a bonus for signing up for a new account, either as rewards or as an interest-free, introductory financing period. Also, a credit card can offer cardholder benefits such as purchase protection or travel insurance.

How Does a Credit Card Work?

Your personal bank or other financial institutions may offer their own credit cards, but you don’t have to belong to a particular bank or lender in order to qualify for a credit card. After you’ve applied for a credit card and been approved, the lender will likely set a credit limit.

•   When you make a purchase with a credit card, it constitutes a loan. At the end of each billing cycle you’ll receive a statement. You can usually avoid interest charges by paying your statement balance in full.

•   If you choose to pay a lesser amount, you’ll incur interest charges. Credit cards typically charge high interest, so it’s important to stay on top of the amount you owe, which can increase quickly.

•   If you don’t make a payment by the statement due date, you will likely also incur a late payment fee. Interest charges and fees are added to the account balance, and interest will accrue on this new total.

•   If you miss payments by 60 days typically, you could be assessed a higher penalty APR.

Recommended: Average Personal Loan Rates

Personal Lines of Credit vs Credit Cards Compared

Now, take a closer look at the difference between a line of credit and a credit card.

Similarities

Both personal lines of credit and credit cards are types of revolving credit. This means you can borrow up to a certain amount as it suits you, as long as you pay the balance back down in order to make room for future purchases.

Both personal lines of credit and credit cards also report your balance and payment history to the three major consumer credit bureaus.

Differences

Here’s a quick summary of the main differences between personal lines of credit and credit cards.

Pros and Cons of Personal Lines of Credit

There are times when a personal line of credit can make life much simpler. However, you may have to accept certain tradeoffs.

Pros and Cons of Credit Cards

Credit cards are a powerful financial tool you can use to wisely manage your spending. Knowing the terms of the game, however, is just as important as learning how to be responsible with credit cards.

Recommended: Credit Score vs. FICO® Score

Alternatives to Revolving Credit

Besides personal lines of credit and credit cards, there are a few other types of financial products you can use to access credit.

Personal Loans

It may be easy to get personal loans vs. lines of credit confused, but it’s crucial to know the difference. For example, a personal line of credit involves borrowing up to a maximum credit limit. Personal loans, however, are a lump sum of money that you receive shortly after your approval. Here’s how this kind of loan typically:

•  Obtaining either a secured or unsecured personal loan requires a credit check. The potential amount you may be able to borrow ranges from $1,000 all the way up to $100,000.

•  Some personal loans are taken out for a specific purpose, such as a home renovation, a personal line of credit can often be used for whatever reason crops up. For example, you may want to go with a personal loan instead of a line of credit if you need to make home renovations.

•  A personal loan rate calculator can be used to see what terms you may be able to expect. While these calculators may not give you the exact terms you’ll receive if you do obtain a personal loan, they can be a great starting place.

Recommended: Personal Loan Calculator

Auto Loan

Many people don’t have thousands of dollars sitting around to help pay towards a new car, so they use auto loans. An auto loan is a kind of personal loan that’s secured by the title of the vehicle.

If the borrower fails to pay the loan, the vehicle can be repossessed. And the name of the lender typically appears on the title of the car, so the loan must be paid off before the car can be sold.

Mortgage

A mortgage, or home loan, is a loan that’s secured by a real estate property. Because of the inherent value of real estate, a home mortgage can often have a lower interest rate than other types of secured loans. Most home mortgages are installment loans that have a fixed repayment period, such as 30 years or 15 years.

A home equity loan or a home equity line of credit is a second mortgage taken out against the existing equity in a property. Because of their low interest rates these are sometimes used instead of unsecured personal loans.

Student Loans

Student loans can allow students to fund their education; you may not need to start paying those loans off until you’ve graduated.

Federal student aid can help pay for college-related costs as well. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is one way to determine how much and what type of federal student aid students and parents might qualify for. Some individual colleges also use the FAFSA in determining eligibility for their own financial aid programs.

Private student loans are another option, both for loans and to refinance federal loans. In terms of the latter, however, there are two important considerations:

•  If you refinance federal student loans with private loans, you forfeit the federal benefits and protections, such as deferment and forbearance.

•  If you refinance for an extended term, you may pay more interest over the life of the loan.

For these reasons, think carefully about whether private student loans suit your situation.

The Takeaway

Personal lines of credit are similar to credit cards in that they both generally offer unsecured sources of funding based on your personal creditworthiness. By understanding how a credit card differs from a personal line of credit, you can choose the loan that best fits your needs or decide to access cash through an alternative method.

Think twice before turning to high-interest credit cards. Consider a SoFi personal loan instead. SoFi offers competitive fixed rates and same-day funding. See your rate in minutes.

FAQ

Is a personal line of credit the same as a credit card?

Personal lines of credit and credit cards are similar but not the same. A credit card is a form of payment accepted by merchants and a kind of revolving credit. A personal line of credit is a revolving loan, and the funds are typically transferred to the borrower’s personal bank account before they are used for purchases. Credit cards can also have numerous benefits not offered by a personal line of credit, but the interest rate may be higher.

Are there additional risks to lines of credit vs credit cards?

Both personal lines of credit and credit cards require you to pay back what you owe, whether it’s on a monthly basis or at the end of the draw period, in the case of a line of credit. Making late payments or missing payments can negatively affect your credit score and incur fees.

Do personal lines of credit affect your credit score?

Yes, personal lines of credit, just like credit cards, are subject to reporting to the major credit bureaus. If you make late payments or miss payments, your credit score can be negatively affected. However, personal lines of credit can also be used to build your credit if you make your payments on time and use your credit responsibly.

Photo credit: iStock/Deepak Sethi

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SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

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SOPL-Q425-039

Getting a personal loan is typically a simple process, but it often requires at least a good credit rating and a stable income for approval. Banks tend to have stricter qualification requirements than private lenders. The type of personal loan you get — secured or unsecured — can also have an impact on how hard the loan is to get.

Once approved, you can use a personal loan for a wide variety of expenses, from planned home repairs to unexpected medical bills. Learn more about personal loans and how to increase the chances that you’ll qualify for one.

Types of Personal Loans

A personal loan is essentially a lump sum of money borrowed from a bank, credit union or online lender that you pay back in fixed monthly payments, or installments. Lenders typically offer loans from $1,000 to $100,000, and this money can be used for virtually any purpose. Repayment terms can range from two to seven years.

While there are many different types of personal loans, they can be broken down into two main categories: secured and unsecured. Here’s how the two types of personal loans work:

•   Secured personal loans are backed by collateral owned by the borrower such as a savings account or a physical asset of value. If the loan goes into default, the lender has the right to seize the collateral, which lessens the lender’s risk.

•   Unsecured personal loans do not require collateral. The lender advances the money based simply on an applicant’s creditworthiness and promise to repay. Because unsecured personal loans are riskier for the lender, they tend to come with higher interest rates and more stringent eligibility requirements.

Getting a Personal Loan From a Bank

In addition to the type of personal loan you choose, the lender you borrow from can have an effect on how hard the loan is to get. For many borrowers, their bank is an obvious first choice when the time comes to take out a personal loan.

Banks sometimes offer lower interest rates than other lenders, particularly if you’re already an account holder at that bank. However, they may also have steeper eligibility requirements, such as a higher minimum credit score, vs. online lenders.

Online banks tend to have a less time-consuming application process, and the loan may take less time to disburse.

Getting a Personal Loan From a Private Lender

A private online lender is a non-institutional lender that is not tied to any major bank or corporation. Online lenders are less regulated than banks, allowing faster application processes and more lenient eligibility requirements. However, some online lenders will have higher interest rates and fees compared to traditional banks, so it’s key to shop around.

Recommended: What Are Personal Loans & How Do They Work?

Is It Harder to Get a Personal Loan From a Bank or Private Lender?

Generally speaking, you may need to meet more stringent financial qualifications to get a personal loan from a bank than a private lender. Your best bet, however, is usually to shop around and compare a variety of personal loan options, then see where you’ll get the most favorable interest rate and terms.

Here are the basic differences between getting a personal loan from a bank versus a private lender at a glance:

Is It Easier to Get a Small Personal Loan?

Generally, yes. Loan size is another important factor that goes into how hard it is to get a personal loan. It’s much less risky for a lender to offer $1,000 than $100,000, so the eligibility requirements may be less stringent — and interest rates may be lower — for a smaller loan than for a larger loan.

That said, there are exceptions to this rule. Payday loans are a perfect example. Payday lenders offer small loans with a very short repayment timeline, yet often have interest rates as high as 400% APR (annual percentage rate). Even for a smaller personal loan, it’s generally less expensive to look for an installment loan that’s paid back on a monthly basis over a longer term.

Recommended: How Much of a Personal Loan Can I Get?

What Disqualifies You From Getting a Personal Loan?

There are some financial markers that can disqualify you from getting a personal loan, even with the most lenient lenders. Here are a few to watch out for.

Bad Credit

While the minimum required credit score for each lender will vary, many personal loan lenders require at least a good credit score — particularly for an unsecured personal loan. If you have very poor credit, or no credit whatsoever, you may find yourself ineligible to borrow.

Lack of Stable Income

Another important factor lenders look at is your cash flow. Without a regular source of cash inflow, the lender has no reason to think you’ll be able to repay your loan — and so a lack of consistent income can disqualify you from borrowing.

Not a US Resident

If you’re applying for personal loans in the U.S., you’ll need to be able to prove residency in order to qualify.

Lack of Documentation

Finally, all of these factors will need to be proven and accounted for with paperwork, so a lack of official documentation could also disqualify you.

How to Get a Personal Loan With Bad Credit

If you’re finding it hard to get a personal loan, there are some steps you can take to improve your chances of approval. Here are some to consider.

Prequalify With Multiple Lenders

Every lender has different eligibility requirements. As a result, it’s worth shopping around and comparing as many lenders as you can through prequalification. Prequalification allows you to check your chances of eligibility and predicted rates without impacting your credit (lenders only do a soft credit check).

Consider Adding a Cosigner

If, through the prequalification process, you find that you don’t meet most lender’s requirements, or you’re seeing exorbitantly high rates, you might check to see if cosigners are accepted.

Cosigners are usually family members or friends with strong credit who sign the loan agreement along with you and agree to pay back the loan if you’re unable to. This lowers the risk to the lender and could help you get approved and/or qualify a better rate.

Include All Sources of Income

Many lenders allow you to include non-employment income sources on your personal loan application, such as alimony, child support, retirement, and Social Security payments. Lenders are looking for borrowers who can comfortably make loan payments, so a higher income can make it easier to get approved for a personal loan.

Add Collateral

Some lenders offer secured personal loans, which can be easier to get with less-than-ideal credit. A secured loan can also help you qualify for a lower rate. Banks and credit unions typically let borrowers use investment or bank accounts as collateral; online lenders tend to offer personal loans secured by cars.

Just keep in mind: If you fail to repay a secured loan, the lender can take your collateral. On top of that, your credit will be adversely affected. You’ll want to weigh the benefits of getting the loan against the risk of losing the account or vehicle.

Recommended: Personal Loan Calculator

The Takeaway

You can use a personal loan for a range of purposes, such as to cover emergency expenses, to pay for a large expense or vacation, or to consolidate high-interest debt. Personal loans aren’t hard to get but you usually need good credit and a reliable source of income to qualify. The better your financial situation, the lower the interest rate will usually be.

Think twice before turning to high-interest credit cards. Consider a SoFi personal loan instead. SoFi offers competitive fixed rates and same-day funding. See your rate in minutes.

FAQ

Is it hard to get a personal loan?

Personal loans aren’t necessarily hard to get, but you typically need good credit and reliable income to qualify. Secured personal loans (which require pledging something you own like a savings account or vehicle) are generally easier to qualify for than unsecured personal loans.

Is it hard to get a personal loan from a bank?

Banks tend to have more stringent qualification requirements for personal loans than private online lenders. Getting a personal loan from a bank can be a good move if you have good to excellent credit and an existing relationship with a bank.

What disqualifies you from getting a personal loan?

You will be disqualified for a personal loan if you do not meet a lender’s specific eligibility requirements. You may get denied if your credit score is too low, your existing debt load is too high, or your income is not high enough to cover the loan payments.

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

SOPL-Q425-034

If you’re like many Americans, you may carry thousands of dollars of credit card debt. A recent analysis by TransUnion^® found that the average citizen has $6,473 in debt as of mid-2025. While getting out from under debt may seem daunting, there are ways to make it manageable.

Here’s a look at different strategies for paying off a large chunk of debt; specifically, $10,000. In addition to tactics for eliminating debt, you’ll learn why doing so is important, which can help boost your motivation.

Why Paying off Credit Card Debt Is Important

In an ideal world, you would pay off your credit card every month in full. If you’re able to do that, using a credit card (responsibly) can be a good thing. It’s actually a pretty useful way to build credit and gain credit card rewards.

However, when you start to carry monthly credit card debt, things can get a bit dicey, because you’ll start to pay interest.

When you signed up for your credit card, you probably noticed that it came with an annual percentage rate (APR). The APR includes not only the approximate percentage of interest that you’ll likely pay on your credit card balance, but also fees associated with your credit card, such as origination fees or balance transfer fees.

Even if you make minimum payments, interest will still accrue on the balance you owe. The more money you owe, the quicker your interest payments can add up and the harder your debt can be to pay off. The fact that credit cards typically charge high interest rates (the current average interest rate is just over 24% as of November 2025) is part of what you’re grappling with.

So strategies that help you pay down debt as fast as you can also might help you control your interest rates. That, in turn, can help keep your debt from getting ahead of you.

To illustrate some of the debt-demolishing tips in this article, the nice round number of $10,000 is being used. But everyone’s debt totals will be different, and the right ways to pay down debt will be different for everyone as well. It’s up to you to find the path that’s best for your needs.

Avoiding Adding to Your Debt

If tackling $10,000 in credit card debt, or really any amount of credit card debt, the very first step might be to stop using credit cards altogether. This can be tough, especially if you’re used to using them all the time. But if you keep spending on your card, you’ll be adding to your debt. While you get your debt under control, you could consider switching over to only using cash or your debit card.

Building a Budget

Making a budget may help you find extra cash to help you pay down your credit cards. You can start by making a list of all your necessary expenses, including housing, utilities, transportation, insurance, and groceries.

It’s usually a good idea to include minimum credit card payments in this category as well, since making minimum payments can at least keep you from having to pay additional penalties and fees on top of your credit card balance and interest payments.

You can tally up the cost of your necessary expenses and subtract the total from your income. What’s left is the money available for discretionary spending, or in other words, the money you’d use for savings, eating out, entertainment, etc. Look for discretionary expenses you can cut — you might forgo a vacation or start cooking more — so you can direct extra money to paying down your credit card.

Consider using any extra windfalls — such as a bonus at work, a tax refund, or a cash birthday gift — to help you pay down your debt as well.

Though it may seem frustrating to cut out activities you enjoy doing, it can be helpful to remember that these cuts are likely temporary. As soon as you pay off your cards, you can add reasonable discretionary expenditures back into your budget.

The Debt Avalanche Method

Once you’ve identified the money you’ll use to pay off your cards, there are a couple of strategies that may be worth considering to help organize your payments. If you have multiple credit cards that each carry a balance, you could consider the debt avalanche method. The first step when using this strategy is to order your credit card debts from the highest interest rate to the lowest.

From there, you’d make minimum payments on all of your cards to avoid additional penalties and fees. Then, you could direct extra payments to the card with the highest interest rates first. When that card is paid off, you’d focus on the next highest card and so on until you’d paid off all of your debt.

The idea here is that higher interest rates end up costing you more money over the long run, so clearing the highest rates saves you cash and accelerates your ability to pay off your other debts.

The Debt Snowball Method

Another strategy potentially worth considering if you have multiple credit cards is the snowball method. With this method, you’d order your debts from smallest to largest balance. You would then make minimum payments on all of your cards here as well, but direct any extra payments to paying off the smallest balance first.

Once that’s done, you’d move on to the card with the next lowest balance, continuing this process until you have all of your cards paid off. By paying off your smallest debt you get an immediate win. Ideally, this small win would help you build momentum and stay motivated to keep going.

The drawback of this method is you continue making interest payments on your highest rate loans. So you may actually end up spending more money on interest using this method than you would using the avalanche method.

Only you know what type of motivation works best for you. If the sense of accomplishment you feel from paying off your small balances will help inspire you to actually pay your debt off, then this method may be the right choice for you.

Consolidate Your Debt

Interest rates on credit cards can be hefty to say the least. Personal loans can help you consolidate your credit card debt and potentially pay a lower interest rate. With a personal loan, you can consolidate all of your credit cards into one loan, instead of managing multiple credit card payments.

Once you’ve used your personal loan to consolidate your credit card debt, you’ll still be responsible for paying off the loan. However, you’ll no longer have to juggle multiple debts. And hopefully, with a lower interest rate and shorter term, you’ll actually be able to pay your debt off faster.

Recommended: Personal Loan Interest Rates

The Takeaway

The average American carries several thousand dollars in credit card debt. If you are trying to pay down this kind of high-interest debt, try budgeting, debt payoff methods like the avalanche and snowball techniques, or consolidating debt with a personal loan.

Think twice before turning to high-interest credit cards. Consider a SoFi personal loan instead. SoFi offers competitive fixed rates and same-day funding. See your rate in minutes.

FAQ

How long does it take to pay off $10,000 in credit card debt?

There’s no set amount of time for how long it can take to pay off $10k in credit card debt. The timing will depend on whether you pay the minimum amount or more per month and what your interest rate is. The debt could be paid off in a couple of months or many years.

What is the 2/3/4 rule for credit cards?

The 2/3/4 credit card rule is a guideline that says a person can only get a maximum of two new cards in a 30-day period, three new cards in a 12-month period, and four new cards in a 24-month period.

How many people have $10,000 in credit card debt?

According to one study in 2025, one in four Americans who carry credit card balances has $10,000 or more in credit card debt.

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