What Is a Good TransUnion Credit Score?

Lenders generally label a TransUnion score of 700 or higher as good.

• 700‑719  - good range, qualifies for most credit cards and auto loans (see TransUnion score basics)
• 720‑749  - very good, meets typical mortgage and personal loan requirements
• 750‑850  - excellent, unlocks the best rates and premium rewards cards
• Premium products often need 760+ (travel cards) or even 780+ for jumbo mortgages
• Cutoffs vary by product: auto lenders may approve at 680, student loans often start at 660

Lenders pull your TransUnion score - usually VantageScore 3.0 on a 300‑850 scale - to gauge credit risk, then match it against internal cut‑offs. Scores 720 and above generally earn the best rates and highest limits, 660‑719 often qualify for standard terms, 620‑659 may still receive credit but at higher interest, and below 620 usually triggers either a denial or a costly offer.

Beyond approval, the score shapes the loan amount, APR, and even ancillary decisions such as insurance premiums or rental applications; lenders feed it into automated underwriting models that also consider income and debt‑to‑income ratios. A recent rise in your score can improve pre‑approval offers, while a dip may shrink limits or raise fees. For a detailed breakdown of how each score tier influences lender behavior, see the TransUnion score factors guide.

Your TransUnion score differs from a FICO score because TransUnion typically reports a VantageScore 3.0 model, which weights factors such as payment history, credit utilization, and recent inquiries differently than any FICO version.

FICO scores, by contrast, use proprietary algorithms that can vary by version (e.g., FICO 8, FICO 9) and may assign more weight to debt‑to‑income ratios or certain types of accounts; lenders often choose the model that best fits their risk strategy, which is why the number you see on your TransUnion report can be higher or lower than the FICO number they use.

These model differences explain why 'good' ranges discussed earlier in the what TransUnion score lenders will call good section don't always line up with the thresholds lenders reference later when evaluating a 650 TransUnion score for credit approval.

A 650 TransUnion score falls into the 'fair' tier, so while premium cards usually pass, you can still obtain credit through products that weigh income, down payment, or collateral more heavily.

• Secured credit cards - require a cash deposit equal to the credit limit, come with higher APR but build history.
• Subprime unsecured credit cards - offer modest limits, higher interest rates, and often need proof of steady income.
• Personal loans from alternative lenders - smaller loan sizes, rates around 15‑25 %, may require a co‑signer or strong employment record.
• Auto loans - lenders typically ask for 10‑20 % down and charge higher interest, yet approval is common for a 650 score.
• FHA or other government‑backed mortgages - allow as little as 3.5 % down, but come with higher rates and stricter debt‑to‑income requirements.
• Retail or store cards - easy approval, low limits, high APR, useful for building credit if paid in full each month.

Lenders usually look for a solid payment history, sufficient income, and sometimes a larger down payment or a co‑signer to offset the fair score. If you're ready to move beyond these options, the next section on '5 quick wins to raise your TransUnion score' shows how.

A higher TransUnion score comes from fixing the biggest levers that lenders see every month.

1. Reduce revolving balances. Aim for a utilization below 30 percent, ideally under 10 percent. Paying off credit‑card debt instantly improves the 'amount owed' factor, which accounts for about 30 percent of the score.
2. Automate on‑time payments. Set up automatic transfers for at least the minimum due on every loan and credit‑card. A clean payment history is the single most predictive element and a single late mark can drop your score dozens of points.
3. Dispute inaccurate items. Pull your TransUnion report, identify errors (misspelled names, wrong balances, phantom collections) and file a dispute online. Corrections that remove false negatives can boost the score within 30 days.
4. Ask for a goodwill removal. If you have one recent delinquency but a strong overall record, contact the creditor, explain the circumstance and request the negative be deleted as a courtesy. Lenders often comply for long‑standing customers.
5. Keep older accounts open. Length of credit history makes up about 15 percent of the score. Closing a decade‑old account shortens your average age and can lower the score, even if you no longer use it.

A single late payment can shave dozens of points off your TransUnion score; a 30‑day delinquency typically drops the score by 30‑50 points, while a 60‑day delinquency often costs 60‑100 points because the model treats the longer delay as a higher risk. The hit appears immediately after the lender reports the delinquency, and the exact loss depends on your overall credit profile, such as utilization and existing payment history discussed earlier.

The negative mark stays on your TransUnion report for up to seven years, but its influence fades gradually as newer positive activity builds; it does not simply disappear after 12 months. Recovery speed varies - adding on‑time payments, lowering balances, and avoiding new negatives can restore points, but there is no guaranteed 'half‑back in a year' rule. How utilization versus collections affects your score will be covered next, helping you prioritize the most effective fixes.

Collections usually damage your TransUnion score more than high utilization, because a collection is a derogatory item that can drop dozens of points, while utilization shifts the score in smaller, more gradual increments.

• Impact magnitude - A recent collection can shave 50‑100 points from a 720 TransUnion score; exceeding the 30 % utilization threshold typically lowers the score by 10‑30 points.
• Duration - Both stay on the report for up to 7 years, but collections are weighted heavier throughout that period, whereas high utilization loses weight once you bring the ratio below 30 %.
• Recovery speed - Paying down utilization often improves the score within one or two billing cycles; removing a collection requires time, dispute success, or aging, and may take months to reflect.
• Example - A borrower with a 680 score sees it dip to ~610 after a $500 collection, while the same borrower's score drops to ~650 when credit card balances rise to 45 % of limits.

If you must choose where to focus first, clean up collections; once they're cleared, bring utilization under 30 % to fine‑tune the remaining points. how collections affect your credit

Negative items usually remain on your TransUnion report for seven years, while most inquiries fall off after two years; Chapter 7 bankruptcies stay for seven years and Chapter 13 filings for ten years how long negative info stays on your credit report.

A thin or new TransUnion file means the bureau has fewer than three tradelines or less than six months of reporting history, so the VantageScore 3.0 model works with minimal data. With so little information, the TransUnion score often lands in the 600‑650 range, can fluctuate sharply, and lenders may treat the score as 'insufficient data' and rely on alternative factors.

For example, a recent college graduate who just opened a secured credit card will see a thin file; adding an authorized‑user position on a parent's card, reporting a consistent rent payment through a third‑party service, and keeping the secured card's utilization under 10 % can quickly add tradelines.

Someone who only has a student loan will benefit from opening a low‑limit retail card and using it responsibly for a few months. Each new positive tradeline gives the algorithm more weight to payment history and utilization, stabilizing the TransUnion score and making it more attractive to lenders in the next credit decision.

You can pull your TransUnion report for free and file a dispute in a few minutes. The process is the same whether you spot a wrong balance, a mis‑dated hard inquiry, or a duplicate account.

1. Get the report - Visit free TransUnion credit report site, create an account, and download the most recent VantageScore 3.0 file (300‑850 scale).
2. Spot the error - Scan the 'Personal Information,' 'Account Details,' and 'Public Records' sections; highlight anything that looks inaccurate, such as an unknown loan, an outdated collection, or a misspelled name.
3. Collect proof - Gather supporting documents (bank statements, payoff letters, identity documents) that show the correct information. Store them as PDFs for easy upload.
4. Submit the dispute - Log into TransUnion's online dispute portal, select the item, describe the mistake in one sentence, and attach your PDFs. TransUnion must investigate within 30 days.
5. Verify the outcome - When you receive the result, review the updated report; if the error persists, reply with additional evidence or request a re‑investigation.

After a successful dispute, the corrected data instantly feeds into your TransUnion score, which can improve borrowing terms in the lender decisions discussed earlier.