Key Takeaways
- U.S. Bank’s variable HELOC APRs ranged from 6.70% to 11.10% as of Nov. 9, 2026, with higher rates for credit scores below 730.
- The WSJ prime rate, the index most HELOCs track, was 7.00% on Nov. 10, 2026.
- On one lender’s Aug. 24, 2026 rate sheet, the margin over prime rose from 1.99 points at a 780+ score to 6.69 points at 640–659 (owner-occupied, 60%–65% CLTV).
As of November 2026, a borrower with a 760+ credit score and plenty of equity can find advertised HELOC rates near 7%, while scores in the 620–679 range price roughly 2.8 to 4.7 percentage points higher on lenders’ published rate sheets. U.S. Bank gives the clearest dated range: 6.70% to 11.10% APR as of Nov. 9, 2026, with rates that may be higher for scores below 730, loan-to-value above 60% or lines under $50,000. Most HELOCs are priced as the WSJ prime rate, 7.00% on Nov. 10, 2026, plus a margin set largely by your credit score.
Check your home equity options. Start hereIn this article (Skip to...)
- HELOC rates by credit score tier
- Advertised HELOC rates and the profile behind them
- How your credit score moves the margin
- Minimum credit scores for a HELOC
- What to watch when comparing
- How we got these numbers
- FAQ
Want to see our expert mortgage insights first?
Add The Mortgage Reports as a preferred source on Google. You’ll automatically see our latest rate analyses, buying guides, and housing forecasts highlighted in your Google Search, AI Mode, and AI Overviews.
HELOC rates by credit score tier
Consumer lenders rarely post rates by credit score. Two wholesale lenders do, on rate sheets they publish for mortgage brokers. The table shows their rates for an owner-occupied home with a combined loan-to-value (CLTV) of about 60% to 65%. These are broker prices on the dates shown, not consumer offers, and the Homebridge sheet was priced when prime was 6.75%.
| Credit score | Homebridge HELOC rate (Aug. 24, 2026) | Homebridge margin over 6.75% prime | LoanStream HELOC rate, 2nd lien (Sept. 2, 2026) |
| 760 and up | 8.74%–8.84% | 1.99–2.09 points | 8.70%–8.90% |
| 720–759 | 9.04%–9.24% | 2.29–2.49 points | 9.05%–9.45% |
| 680–719 | 9.54%–10.54% | 2.79–3.79 points | 9.70%–10.35% |
| 620–679 | 12.02%–13.44% (640–679 only) | 5.27–6.69 points | 11.70%–12.65% |
Homebridge rows are its 780+ to 620–639 tiers at >60%–65% CLTV; it does not offer 620–639 at that CLTV. LoanStream’s sheet assumes a 30-year term, a 2.99% origination fee and owner occupancy, with a 0.25-point autopay discount. On both sheets, the gap between a top-tier score and a 620–679 score is about 2.8 to 4.7 percentage points.
Prime rose to 7.00% after these sheets were issued, so a variable rate built on the same margin would now be 0.25 point higher. For example, a 1.99-point margin over 7.00% prime equals 8.99%. Margins change, so treat this as an illustration.
Compare HELOC offers from featured lenders
Advertised HELOC rates and the profile behind them
Retail lenders usually show a starting rate for a sample borrower. Here is what each one states, and who it assumes you are.
| Lender | Advertised rate | Date | Assumed profile or conditions |
| U.S. Bank | 6.70%–11.10% variable APR | Nov. 9, 2026 | Lowest rate needs autopay from a U.S. Bank account; may be higher with a score below 730, LTV above 60% or a line under $50,000 |
| Third Federal | 6.49% (prime minus 0.51%) | Nov. 10, 2026 | Sample for Cuyahoga County, Ohio; credit and CLTV assumptions not stated |
| Figure | As low as 7.10% APR | Nov. 10, 2026 | Assumptions not shown on the rate page; one-time origination fee |
| Navy Federal Credit Union | As low as 7.250% APR | Effective date of our check, Nov. 10, 2026 | 750 FICO, primary residence, 70% maximum HLTV |
| SchoolsFirst FCU (California only) | 7.000%–10.500% APR (Rate Advantage HELOC) | Nov. 10, 2026 | 720 score, 70% LTV; margin −0.500 to 3.000 points |
| PNC | 7.31%–13.10% variable APR after a 5.74% six-month intro rate | Intro for applications Aug. 16–Nov. 30, 2026 | Includes 0.25% autopay discount; intro on lines of $50,000+; score not stated |
| Bank of America | 8.275% variable APR after a 5.740% six-month intro rate | Aug. 12, 2026 | “Excellent credit”; discounts for autopay and initial draw |
Only SchoolsFirst and Navy Federal name a specific score. U.S. Bank names 730 as the point where pricing can rise. To see how these compare with first mortgage and cash-out rates, see our HELOC rates vs. mortgage rates comparison.
How your credit score moves the margin
A variable HELOC rate is the index (usually WSJ prime) plus a margin. The index is the same for everyone at a given lender. The margin is where your credit score, CLTV and line size show up.
- SchoolsFirst publishes a margin range of −0.500 to 3.000 points, based on factors including your credit rating and CLTV.
- First Florida Credit Union prices its line at prime plus 0% to 4.50%, based on credit history and CLTV.
- Third Federal advertises prime minus 0.51%, and PNC and Citizens say their rates are prime plus a margin without publishing it.
- On the Homebridge sheet, each step down in credit tier adds about 0.10 to 1.50 points, and the steps get larger below 700.
Prime moves with Federal Reserve policy. The margin is the part tied to your own profile, so a higher margin keeps your rate above a top-tier borrower’s at any prime level. Check your agreement for when and how the rate adjusts.
See how much home equity you could borrow
Minimum credit scores for a HELOC
Citizens lists a 680 minimum score. A PenFed HELOC guide (dated 2023) also lists 680. Some lenders go lower but limit how much you can borrow. Homebridge’s Aug. 24, 2026 grid allows these maximum CLTVs on an owner-occupied home:
| Credit score | Maximum CLTV (owner-occupied) |
| 700 and up | 80% |
| 680–699 | 75% |
| 660–679 | 70% |
| 640–659 | 65% |
| 620–639 | 55% |
| 600–619 | 50% |
So a lower score both raises your rate and shrinks your line. Read more in our guide to HELOC credit score requirements. If you want a fixed rate instead, see home equity loan rates by credit score.
What to watch when comparing
- Intro rates expire. PNC’s 5.74% and Bank of America’s 5.740% last six months, then the variable rate applies.
- Discounts are built in. U.S. Bank’s lowest rate requires autopay from a U.S. Bank account, and PNC’s range includes a 0.25% autopay discount.
- Rate caps differ. U.S. Bank caps its APR at 18%; PNC’s can reach 24%.
- Fees add up. PNC charges a $75 annual fee and origination fees of $299 to $599 outside Texas; U.S. Bank charges $75 a year after the first year.
Actual rates depend on your credit, equity, property, location and lender. Comparing a few written offers on the same day is the only way to see your own margin.
Time to make a move? Let us find the right mortgage for you
How we got these numbers
We checked lender websites and published wholesale rate sheets on Nov. 10, 2026. Credit-tier rates come only from rate sheets that list rates by FICO score (Homebridge, Aug. 24, 2026; LoanStream, Sept. 2, 2026), shown at a 60%–65% CLTV so the tiers are comparable. Retail rates are as stated on each lender’s site with the date and assumptions the lender gives. The prime rate is from Bankrate’s WSJ prime rate page, updated Nov. 10, 2026, and Leader Bank’s prime rate history lists 7.00% since Sept. 16, 2026.
FAQ
Sources: Bankrate (WSJ prime rate), Leader Bank, U.S. Bank, PNC, Figure, Navy Federal Credit Union, Bank of America, SchoolsFirst FCU, Third Federal, Citizens, First Florida Credit Union, Homebridge Wholesale rate sheet, LoanStream Wholesale rate sheet, PenFed.
