What is the highest possible credit score?

You just got your updated credit score through Chase Credit Journey^® and you see your VantageScore^® 3.0 is at 780—what a good credit score! However, as impressive as that score is, there's still more room to grow. Maybe you've always challenged yourself to be the very best, and now's your time to shine. Just how high can you get your credit score—and how realistic are your chances to reach the top number?

For both VantageScore and FICO^® scores, the highest possible score you can receive is 850. So how do you get this so-called perfect score?

In this article, you will learn:

• If it's possible to achieve the highest score
• How to achieve the highest possible score
• What credit score you should aim for

Is it possible to achieve the highest score?

While it is possible to achieve, it's a difficult process. Because your score is ever-evolving, having this score does not necessarily mean it will remain that way forever.

Even though it's possible to achieve a perfect score, the following scores are still considered high credit scores.

VantageScore:

• Excellent: 781–850
• Good: 661–780

FICO score:

• Exceptional: 800+
• Very Good: 740–799

What kinds of people have a perfect score?

Individuals with a perfect score typically have an average of about 5–6 credit cards in addition to auto loans, personal loans and mortgages.

In addition to a diverse credit mix, these individuals usually have years under their belt of making payments on time and in full, a low credit utilization ratio and keeping credit accounts open for a long duration. They may actively monitor their credit score regularly and look out for any shifts in their score and adjust their actions accordingly.

Ways to achieve the highest possible credit score

It takes many years of consistent and diligent effort and healthy financial habits in order to achieve the highest possible credit score. Derogatory remarks can also be an obstacle if you currently have them on your report. These are negative items that can take anywhere from 7–10 years to fall off from your credit report.

To achieve the highest possible credit score, you:

• Diversify your credit mix—adding different types of credit (credit cards, loans, a mortgage) showcases your ability to manage your money
• Make payments on time and in full—missing just one monthly payment can have lasting effects that keep you from obtaining a higher score
• Keep old credit accounts open—consider keeping your old credit card accounts open even when you don’t use them much. This will positively impact your credit age.
• Consider enrolling in Chase Credit Journey—you can receive a personalized action plan provided by Experian™ to help improve your score, in addition to other helpful resources all for free

While doing the above can help increase your chances of getting a higher score, small events can still throw you off the path to a perfect score or at least delay you from reaching your goal. For example, let's say you want to take out a new credit card to help diversify your credit mix. Doing so usually requires running a hard inquiry—this action alone can temporarily hurt your score by a few points. Even if you have a perfect score today, there are plenty of factors and potential actions that could lower it and fall into other credit score ranges.

Credit score to aim for

Aiming for a high credit score is a great goal to have; however, aiming for the highest score can be difficult to achieve, hard to maintain and not always necessary. It's hard to maintain a perfect score—but, a good credit score to shoot for that is sustainable is about 700 and higher.

With this score, you may be able to access many of the financial opportunities as you would with the highest score. These include lower APRs, more opportunities to qualify for specific credit cards and more.

Advantages of having a high credit score

In addition to bragging rights, having the highest credit score (or even an exceptional or excellent credit score) can have several advantages, such as:

• Having more purchasing power as you may get approved for more credit and higher credit limits, and room to negotiate for better terms/rates
• Eligibility for more premium credit cards that could come with perks for traveling, earning rewards and more
• Higher chances of getting approved for renting an apartment
• A good impression on a potential employer who may run a credit check

In conclusion

There's nothing wrong with aiming for perfection, and that goes for wanting to obtain the highest credit score. However, you don't need a perfect score to reap many of the rewards. If you have a score of about 700 or higher, you may be able to get the rates and credit cards that will benefit you.

Is your credit score far from perfect? Don't worry—there are always opportunities to adjust and improve. With Credit Journey^®, you can monitor your score without impacting it, get a personalized action plan and more. If you're on your way to achieving a higher score, enrolling in this free online tool can be a helpful asset.