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632 Credit score: What You Need to Know in 2025
July 1, 2025

TL;DR
A 632 credit score is a solid foundation with significant potential for improvement, positioning you to unlock better financial opportunities. Lenders generally classify a score in this range as 'Fair' credit.
What Does a 632 Credit Score Mean?
A credit score of 632 places you in the "fair" range on the FICO scale, which runs from 300 to 850. While not a poor score, it's below the U.S. average and may signal to lenders that you're a moderate risk. This can make it more challenging to get approved for new credit or loans. If you are approved, you'll likely face higher interest rates and less favorable terms than applicants with higher scores.
Think of a 632 score not as a roadblock, but as a solid foundation with significant room for growth. It's a score that can certainly be improved over time through positive financial habits. Moving into a higher credit tier can unlock better financial products and opportunities, paving the way for a more secure future.
Who Has a 632 Credit Score?
While age isn't a direct factor in calculating your credit score, there is a clear correlation showing scores tend to improve over time. According to 2023 Experian data, here is the average FICO score breakdown by generation:
- Generation Z (ages 18-26): 680
- Millennials (ages 27-42): 690
- Generation X (ages 43-58): 709
- Baby Boomers (ages 59-77): 745
- Silent Generation (ages 78+): 760
Credit Cards With a 632 Credit Score
A credit score of 632 places you in the "fair" credit range, which can be a mixed bag when applying for new credit cards. While you'll likely qualify for some cards, you may find it challenging to get approved for premium rewards cards that come with the best perks. Lenders often offset the perceived risk by offering cards with higher interest rates, lower credit limits, or annual fees.
Kudos simplifies the search with its Explore Tool, which uses a quiz to match your preferences against nearly 3,000 cards to find the best fit. For even deeper personalization, the Dream Wallet feature analyzes your actual spending habits to recommend cards that maximize your rewards and align with your financial goals.
Auto Loans and a 632 Credit Score
A 632 credit score places you in the non-prime borrower category, which means you can likely still get an auto loan but will face higher interest rates. These elevated rates, detailed in a 2025 market analysis, will make your loan more expensive over time compared to borrowers with stronger credit histories.
- Super-prime (781-850): 5.25% for new cars, 7.13% for used cars
- Prime (661-780): 6.87% for new cars, 9.36% for used cars
- Non-prime (601-660): 9.83% for new cars, 13.92% for used cars
- Subprime (501-600): 13.18% for new cars, 18.86% for used cars
- Deep subprime (300-500): 15.77% for new cars, 21.55% for used cars
Mortgages at a 632 Credit Score
A 632 credit score is enough to get your foot in the door for several types of home loans. You generally meet the minimum credit requirements for conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA loans. While some conventional lenders might prefer a score of 640 or higher, a 632 is typically sufficient to qualify, giving you multiple paths to explore for financing your home.
However, your 632 score will impact your loan terms. You can expect higher interest rates than borrowers with stronger credit—potentially over 1.5% higher than for top-tier applicants. For conventional loans, you'll also likely pay more for private mortgage insurance (PMI) if your down payment is under 20%.
What's in a Credit Score?
Figuring out what goes into your credit score can feel like trying to solve a complex puzzle, but it generally boils down to a handful of key elements. The most common factors include:
- Your history of making payments on time is the most significant factor.
- How much of your available credit you're currently using, known as your credit utilization ratio, plays a major role.
- The age of your credit accounts, including the average age and the age of your oldest account, is also considered.
- Lenders like to see that you can responsibly manage different types of credit, such as credit cards and loans.
- Opening several new credit accounts in a short period can be seen as a risk and may temporarily lower your score.
How to Improve Your 632 Credit Score
Your credit score plays a crucial role in your financial life, but improving it is always possible through consistent, positive financial behaviors. Whether you're aiming to boost your FICO® or VantageScore, there are proven methods to improve your creditworthiness.
- Monitor your credit reports. Regularly checking your reports helps you find and dispute inaccuracies that could be unfairly dragging down your 632 score. This also allows you to track your progress as you work toward better financial health.
- Reduce your credit utilization ratio. Since this is the second most important factor in your score, keeping your balance low compared to your limit can provide a significant boost. For a fair score, paying down balances is a key strategy for a relatively quick and positive impact.
- Become an authorized user. Being added to a credit card account with a strong payment history and low utilization can add positive data to your credit file. This is a highly effective way to improve a 632 score by leveraging another person's good credit habits.
- Apply for a secured credit card. A 632 score can make it difficult to qualify for unsecured credit, making a secured card an excellent tool for building credit. It requires a security deposit and allows you to demonstrate responsible payment history to lenders.
To help you make smarter credit decisions and maximize rewards as you build your score, consider using a tool like Kudos.
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