What credit score do I need for a $20,000 personal loan?

$20,000 is the upper end of the typical personal-loan range. At this amount, lenders weight debt-to-income ratio heavily because the monthly payment is significant.

Monthly payment math: $20,000 at 12% over 60 months is $445/month. At 10% over 48 months it's $507. For approval, your total debt service post-loan needs to stay under ~40% of gross income; on a $60,000 salary that's about $2,000 in total monthly debt, leaving room for the loan plus a modest car payment and other obligations.

If you're between 600-659 FICO, options typically max out at $10,000-$15,000 from mainstream lenders. Some online installment lenders go higher but at APRs that often make a smaller loan more financially sensible.