The numbers behind the tools
Every figure our calculators use, in one place, each with its as-of date. These render straight from the site's data files, so what you see here is exactly what the tools compute with.
The base rate nearly every 7(a) loan floats over. Our rate file reads it from FRED, and every calculator on this site starts here.
Source: FRED DPRIME, the bank prime loan rate, refreshed monthly by our rate job. Margins are the range most 7(a) change-of-ownership quotes land in; the cap is SBA's posted ceiling on variable-rate 7(a) loans above $350,000.
As of September 28, 2026SBA DSCR floors
Acquisition floor rises Oct 1, 2026The minimum debt service coverage a deal has to clear. One number moves: SOP 50 10 8.1 raises the acquisition floor and leaves business expansion where it is.
The 8.1 floors are measured on historical results, not projections, and individual lenders hold overlays above them. Read the SOP 50 10 8.1 summary or check your deal.
As of September 28, 2026Reference tables
Median rate by deal size
7(a) change-of-ownership loans, FY2025 to FY2026. Bigger deals price better.
| Deal size | Loans | Median rate |
|---|---|---|
| Under $150K | 1,681 | 9.50% |
| $150K to $350K | 2,008 | 9.50% |
| $350K to $700K | 2,420 | 9.50% |
| $700K to $1M | 1,554 | 9.25% |
| $1M to $2M | 2,298 | 9.00% |
| $2M to $3.5M | 1,399 | 9.00% |
| $3.5M+ | 945 | 8.75% |
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA file, change-of-ownership loans, FY2025 to FY2026. Median initial interest rate per approval-size bucket; refreshed quarterly with the federal file. Methodology.
As of June 30, 2026FY26 upfront guaranty fee
Charged on the guaranteed portion. SBA guarantees 85% at or under $150,000 gross and 75% above. The tier is set by the gross loan.
Source: SBA Information Notice 5000-872051, 7(a) fees effective October 1, 2025. There is no general small-loan waiver: the only 0% upfront fee is for manufacturers in NAICS 31-33 at or under $950,000, excluding MARC loans. The 0.55% annual service fee is a lender cost and may not be passed to the borrower. Estimate yours in the 7(a) calculator, or read the full breakdown of the SBA guaranty fee and the SBA packaging fee.
As of September 28, 2026Current SBA 504 rates
504 pricing is fixed at the monthly debenture sale, not floated over Prime. August 2026's sale priced the notes below; with SBA, CDC, and servicing fees the borrower's effective rate lands around 6.27% to 6.50%, varying by CDC.
Source: the monthly 504 debenture sale as published by the CDC industry (NADCO); the effective range is read from published CDC rate pages. Model the full 50/40/10 stack in the SBA 504 loan calculator, which takes the effective rate as an input.
As of August 6, 2026