Home Equity Loan Rates Today (March 2026): Current Rates & Comparison
By Wealthvieu · Updated
Compare current home equity loan rates and understand how they differ from HELOCs.
Current Home Equity Loan Rates
Rates as of March 2026. Updated weekly.
Credit Score
10-Year Rate
15-Year Rate
20-Year Rate
760+
8.00%
8.25%
8.50%
720-759
8.50%
8.75%
9.00%
680-719
9.00%
9.25%
9.50%
660-679
9.50%
9.75%
10.00%
620-659
10.00%+
10.25%+
10.50%+
Home Equity Loan vs HELOC Rates
Feature
Home Equity Loan
HELOC
Current Rate
8.25-9.50%
8.00-10.00%
Rate Type
Fixed
Variable (usually)
How You Receive
Lump sum
Draw as needed
Payment
Same monthly payment
Changes with balance/rate
Best For
One-time large expense
Ongoing/uncertain needs
Rate Risk
None
Rates could rise
Monthly Payment Calculator
Fixed-rate home equity loan payments:
10-Year Term @ 8.50%
Loan Amount
Monthly Payment
Total Interest
$25,000
$310
$12,146
$50,000
$620
$24,292
$75,000
$929
$36,438
$100,000
$1,239
$48,584
$150,000
$1,859
$72,876
15-Year Term @ 8.75%
Loan Amount
Monthly Payment
Total Interest
$25,000
$249
$19,803
$50,000
$498
$39,606
$75,000
$747
$59,409
$100,000
$996
$79,212
$150,000
$1,493
$118,818
20-Year Term @ 9.00%
Loan Amount
Monthly Payment
Total Interest
$25,000
$225
$28,925
$50,000
$450
$57,850
$75,000
$675
$86,775
$100,000
$900
$115,700
$150,000
$1,350
$173,550
How Much Can You Borrow?
Most lenders allow 80-85% combined LTV:
Home Value
Mortgage Balance
Max Equity Loan (80% LTV)
$350,000
$200,000
$80,000
$400,000
$250,000
$70,000
$500,000
$300,000
$100,000
$600,000
$350,000
$130,000
$750,000
$400,000
$200,000
Formula: (Home Value × 80%) - Mortgage Balance = Max Home Equity Loan
Home Equity Loan Rates by Loan Amount
Loan Amount
Typical Rate
Notes
$10,000-$24,999
9.00-10.00%
Higher rates, small loan
$25,000-$49,999
8.50-9.50%
Standard rates
$50,000-$99,999
8.25-9.00%
Better rates
$100,000+
8.00-8.75%
Best rates, larger loans
Rates by Loan Purpose
Purpose
Rate Impact
Notes
Home improvement
Best rates
Tax-deductible interest possible
Debt consolidation
Standard rates
Saves vs. credit card rates
Education
Standard rates
Consider federal loans first
Major purchase
Standard rates
Compare to other financing
Emergency
Standard rates
Build emergency fund instead
Closing Costs
Fee
Typical Amount
Can Negotiate?
Application fee
$0-$100
Yes
Origination
0-1% of loan
Yes
Appraisal
$300-$500
Limited
Title search
$100-$300
No
Credit report
$25-$50
No
Recording
$50-$150
No
Total
$500-$2,000
Note: Some lenders offer no-closing-cost options with slightly higher rates.
Home Equity Loan vs Cash-Out Refinance
$100,000 needed, current mortgage: $300,000 at 5.50%
Home Equity Loan
Feature
Value
New loan
$100,000 @ 8.50%
Keep existing mortgage
$300,000 @ 5.50%
Payment 1 (mortgage)
$1,703
Payment 2 (equity)
$1,239
Total Payment
$2,942
Cash-Out Refinance
Feature
Value
New loan
$400,000 @ 7.00%
Payment
$2,661
Closing costs
$8,000-$12,000
Total Payment
$2,661
Analysis: Refinance has lower payment but replaces your 5.50% rate with 7.00%. Home equity loan preserves cheap first mortgage. Better choice depends on how long you keep the loan.
Qualification Requirements
Requirement
Typical Minimum
Credit score
620 (680+ for best rates)
Home equity
15-20% minimum
Combined LTV
80-85% maximum
Debt-to-income
Under 43%
Income
Documented, stable
Property
Primary residence
Tax Implications
Use of Funds
Interest Deductible?
Home improvement
Yes (up to $750K total mortgage debt)
Debt consolidation
No
Education
No
Other personal
No
Example: $100K home equity loan for new roof at 8.50%: