A credit score is a three-digit number designed to predict how likely you are to repay borrowed money on time. It’s calculated using information from your credit report—but it’s not a “character grade.” It’s a risk snapshot based on patterns in your past credit behavior.
One widely used scoring approach groups credit-report information into five core categories, each with a typical weight.
The 5 major ingredients in a typical credit score
1) Payment history — 35%
This is the track record: have you paid past credit accounts on time? Late payments, missed payments, collections, and other negative marks can weigh heavily here, while consistent on-time payments help the most over time.
What helps most: making every payment on time, every month.
2) Amounts owed — 30%
This category looks at how much debt you’re carrying and, for credit cards and other revolving lines, how much of your available credit you’re using. Using a large portion of your limit can signal you’re stretched thin—even if you’re paying on time.
What helps most: lowering revolving balances (especially credit cards) and avoiding maxing out limits.
3) Length of credit history — 15%
In general, a longer credit history is a plus. Scores may consider the age of your oldest account, newest account, and the average age of accounts, as well as how long it’s been since certain accounts were used.
What helps most: time and consistency—older, well-managed accounts can support this factor.
4) New credit — 10%
Opening several accounts in a short period can be seen as higher risk, especially if you don’t have a long credit history. Applications for new credit (inquiries) can also be part of this category.
What helps most: spacing out new applications and only applying when necessary.
5) Credit mix — 10%
This looks at the types of credit you’ve managed—like credit cards (revolving) and loans (installment). You don’t need every type, but responsibly handling more than one kind can help.
What helps most: managing the credit you already have well—don’t open accounts just to “improve mix.”
What’s not included in a typical credit score
Some things people assume are “graded” aren’t used in common credit scores, including:
- race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status
- age
- salary, job title, employer, employment history
Lenders may still consider some of these (like income and employment) during an application—but they’re not part of the score calculation itself.
Quick habits that usually move the needle
- Pay on time (set autopay for at least the minimum).
- Lower credit-card balances (utilization is a big lever).
- Avoid rapid-fire applications for new credit.
- Let accounts age and keep your credit history steady