Borrower guide · Money in
How much can you borrow with an SBA loan?
There are two answers to “how much can I borrow”: the program maximum, and the amount your business can actually carry. The second one is almost always the binding limit.
The program maximums
The 7(a) maximum loan is $5,000,000. On the 504 side the SBA portion can also reach $5,000,000, rising to $5,500,000 for certain manufacturers and energy projects, on top of the bank first mortgage. These are ceilings few borrowers approach.
The real limit is coverage
Lenders do not lend to the ceiling — they lend to what the business can service. Your debt-service coverage ratio (adjusted earnings over the loan payment) is the gate, and most want a cushion above 1.0. That is why a profitable small business and the program maximum rarely meet.
Sizing your number
Start from cash flow, not the price tag. The borrowing power calculator turns your earnings into a supportable loan amount; the affordability calculator works the other direction from an asking price.
Borrowing power calculator
Turn your cash flow into the loan amount a lender would actually support.
See your supportable amount →What most borrowers actually get
our dataThe record is the reality check: the median 7(a) loan is $178,850, with half of all loans between $55k and $500k. The $5M ceiling is real but distant for most deals — size yours to cash flow below.
Common questions
What is the maximum SBA loan amount?
A 7(a) loan tops out at $5 million. A 504 SBA portion can also reach $5 million, or $5.5 million for certain manufacturers, on top of the bank first mortgage.
How much SBA loan can I qualify for?
Usually far less than the ceiling — lenders size the loan to your debt-service coverage, so cash flow, not the maximum, is the binding limit.
What is the average SBA loan size?
The median 7(a) loan is $178,850, with half of all loans between $55k and $500k.
Keep going
Rules described here follow SBA SOP 50 10 8 (effective June 1, 2025) and can change; lenders add their own overlays. This is education, not advice — confirm specifics with your lender. Figures cited as “our data” come from the SBA 7(a) & 504 FOIA record, released 2026-06-30.