600 Credit Score: What You Can Get and How to Fix It Fast

A 600 credit score sits in the "fair" range under FICO's model and "poor" under VantageScore. That puts you below 53% of Americans, who averaged 717 as of 2024. Lenders see you as a risk. You'll pay more for loans, face denials for premium cards, and struggle to rent apartments or land jobs that check credit.

But a 600 isn't permanent. Most people can push past 650 in six months with consistent payments and credit utilization fixes. This guide shows you what's holding you back, what you can still access, and how to climb out fast.

What a 600 Credit Score Gets You

Your options shrink. Your costs rise. Here's the reality:

Credit Cards

You'll qualify for secured cards and subprime unsecured cards. Expect APRs between 24% and 29%. Credit limits hover between $300 and $1,500. Many charge annual fees of $50 to $99. The Capital One Platinum and Discover it Secured remain your best bets—no fee, lower rates, and a path to upgrade after eight months of on-time payments.

Auto Loans

You'll get approved, but you'll pay. The average APR for borrowers with credit scores between 580 and 619 hit 13.7% in early 2024, according to Experian. On a $30,000 car loan over 60 months, that's $4,400 more in interest than someone with a 720 score pays. Credit unions and dealership financing programs built for subprime buyers are your starting points.

Mortgages

FHA loans allow scores as low as 580 with a 3.5% down payment. With a 600, you'll qualify but face higher mortgage insurance premiums and interest rates that can cost you $200 to $300 more per month on a median-priced home. Conventional loans remain mostly out of reach,Fannie Mae's minimum is 620, and even then, you'll pay elevated rates.

Personal Loans

Online lenders like Upgrade, LendingPoint, and OneMain Financial approve borrowers in the 600 range. Rates run 18% to 36%. Loan amounts top out around $10,000. If you need more than that, you'll need a cosigner or collateral.

Apartments and Employers

Landlords pull credit. A 600 often triggers higher security deposits or demands for a guarantor. Some property management companies set hard cutoffs at 650. Employers in finance, government, or positions requiring security clearances also check credit. A 600 won't disqualify you outright, but late payments and collections raise red flags.

Why Your Score Is Stuck at 600

Credit scores drop when you break the rules lenders care about. Here are the five reasons most people land at 600:

Late Payments

Payment history is 35% of your score. One payment 30 days late can knock 50 to 100 points off a good score. Two or three late payments in the past year keep you pinned below 650. Lenders report to the bureaus once your payment hits 30 days overdue. After that, the damage is done. The late payment stays on your report for seven years, but its impact fades after two.

High Credit Utilization

This is your balance divided by your credit limit. If you have a $1,000 limit and carry a $900 balance, you're at 90% utilization. Scores start dropping fast above 30%. People with 600 scores average 70% to 80% utilization. Pay your balance down to $300 or less per $1,000 of limit, and you'll see a lift within one billing cycle.

Collections and Charge-Offs

When you stop paying a debt, the creditor eventually writes it off and sells it to a collection agency. That charge-off hits your report and tanks your score. Even a $100 medical bill in collections can hold you under 650. Paying the collection doesn't remove it, but it stops the creditor from suing you and shows future lenders you resolved it.

Short or Thin Credit History

If you've only had credit for a year or two, your score suffers. Lenders want at least three years of history and multiple account types,credit cards, installment loans, a mix. Closing your oldest account shortens your average age of credit and costs you points. Keep old cards open, even if you don't use them.

Too Many Recent Credit Inquiries

Every time you apply for credit, the lender runs a hard inquiry. One inquiry dings you by 5 points. Five inquiries in three months can drop you 25 points. If you're shopping for a car or mortgage, do it within a 14-day window,credit models count multiple inquiries for the same loan type as a single inquiry. But applying for three new credit cards in a month signals desperation and hurts you.

How to Improve a 600 Credit Score

You can break 650 in six months if you act now. Here's what works:

Pay Every Bill on Time

Nothing moves your score faster. Set autopay for at least the minimum on every account. One month of perfect payments won't erase past mistakes, but six consecutive months of on-time payments will push your score up 20 to 40 points. Miss even one payment, and you're back at square one.

Drop Your Credit Utilization Below 30%

Pay down balances or request credit limit increases. If you have $5,000 in credit card debt spread across $10,000 in limits, you're at 50%. Pay $2,000 off, and you drop to 30%. Your score jumps. If you can't pay down the debt, call your card issuer and request a limit increase. If they raise your limit to $12,000, you're suddenly at 42%,better, but still not great. Aim for under 10% if you want to crack 700.

Dispute Errors on Your Credit Report

Pull your free report from AnnualCreditReport.com. Check for accounts you don't recognize, late payments you know you made on time, and incorrect balances. Dispute errors online through Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. The bureaus have 30 days to investigate. If they can't verify the error, they remove it. That can boost your score by 10 to 50 points.

Become an Authorized User

If someone with good credit adds you as an authorized user on their card, their payment history shows up on your report. Choose someone with a long history, low utilization, and perfect payments. You don't need access to the card,just your name on the account. This works best if you have a thin credit file. The bump can be 20 to 60 points.

Consider a Secured Credit Card

Secured cards require a deposit,usually $200 to $500,that becomes your credit limit. Use it for small purchases and pay the balance in full every month. After six months of on-time payments, most issuers convert you to an unsecured card and return your deposit. The Discover it Secured and Capital One Platinum Secured are the cleanest options,no annual fee, cash back on purchases, and automatic reviews for upgrading.

Negotiate Pay-for-Delete With Collections

If you have collections, call the agency and offer to settle in exchange for removing the account from your credit report. They're not required to agree, but smaller medical and utility collections often will. Get the agreement in writing before you pay. Once the account is removed, you'll see an immediate score increase.

When Debt Is the Real Problem

If your 600 score stems from overwhelming debt,maxed-out cards, lawsuits, wage garnishments,credit repair won't fix it. You need debt relief. Bankruptcy stops collections, wipes out unsecured debt, and gives you a clean start. Chapter 7 takes four months and costs $338 in court fees. Most people qualify if their income falls below the state median.

Your score will drop initially, but you'll have no debt dragging it down. Within 12 months, you can rebuild past 650. Within two years, past 700. That's faster than spending a decade paying minimums on $30,000 in credit card debt.

If you're drowning, see if you qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy here. The screener takes two minutes. If you qualify, you can file yourself for $338 using Talk About Debt's guided filing tool.

How Long Does It Take to Fix a 600 Credit Score?

Most people see movement in 60 to 90 days. If you start making on-time payments and drop your utilization, expect a 20 to 40 point bump within three months. Past 650, progress slows. Breaking 700 takes six months to a year of consistent behavior,no late payments, utilization under 10%, no new derogatory marks.

If you have charge-offs or collections, the timeline stretches. Those items stay on your report for seven years, though their impact fades after two. Paying them off stops lawsuits but doesn't remove them. You'll still need time and good behavior to outweigh the damage.

What to Avoid

Don't pay for credit repair services. They charge $100 to $150 a month to dispute errors you can dispute yourself for free. Most make promises they can't keep,no one can legally remove accurate negative information from your report.

Don't close old credit cards. Closing accounts shortens your credit history and raises your utilization ratio. If you have a card you don't use, leave it open. Use it once every six months to keep it active.

Don't apply for new credit unless you need it. Every application costs you points. If you're denied, wait six months before applying again. Multiple denials in a short window make you look desperate.

The Bottom Line

A 600 credit score costs you money and limits your options, but it's not a life sentence. Six months of on-time payments and low credit utilization can push you past 650. If debt is drowning you, bankruptcy might be the faster path to a fresh start and a higher score. Start by pulling your credit report, fixing errors, and making your next payment on time.