State lending data
SBA lending in California
24,947 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in California recently, at a median of $205,000. The lenders that made them, what they charged, and how the state is trending.
24,947 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in California in the most recent fiscal years, at a median of $205,000. The most active lender in the state was U.S. Bank, with 3,058 loans. Approvals are down 20.2% on the year.
SBA lending in California, by the numbers
Every figure here is computed from SBA 7(a) loan-level FOIA data released 2026-06-30 — loans actually approved to businesses in California, not advertised ranges.
| Measure | California | National |
|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 24,947 | 214,102 |
| Total approved | $13.4 billion | $104.1 billion |
| Median loan | $205,000 | $150,000 |
| 25th – 75th percentile | $75,000 – $500,000 | $50,000 – $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.35% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 25.6% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010–19 | 6.9% | 7.1% |
| Jobs supported | 250,791 | 2,142,602 |
| Counties with recorded lending | 58 | — |
| Lenders active in the state | 272 | — |
Is SBA lending in California growing or shrinking?
Shrinking, along with almost every other state. Comparing December 2025 to June 2026 with December 2024 to June 2025, the same months a year earlier, 7(a) approvals to businesses in California went from 4,792 to 3,823 loans, down 20.2% — while the dollars approved went from $2.4 billion to $2.3 billion, down 7.8%. The average approval rose from $510,040 to $589,332, so the change is weighted toward larger loans.
That puts California mid-table — 30th of 51 for year-on-year change, against a national decline of 21.0%.
| Fiscal year | Loans in California | Loans nationally | State share |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 5,439 | 51,747 | 10.5% |
| FY2024 | 7,332 | 62,618 | 11.7% |
| FY2025 | 7,779 | 64,096 | 12.1% |
| FY2026 (part year) | 4,397 | 35,641 | 12.3% |
Which lenders actually fund businesses in California
Ranked by loans approved inside California. The median, startup share and rate columns describe each lender's own California loans, not its national averages — the same bank often writes very different business from one state to the next.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Bank | 3,058 | $50,000 | 30% | 9.49% |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank | 1,372 | $200,000 | 7% | 11.25% |
| Wells Fargo Bank | 1,270 | $20,000 | 84% | 13.00% |
| Newtek Bank | 1,241 | $175,000 | 17% | 11.50% |
| Lendistry SBLC, LLC | 1,185 | $150,000 | 1% | 12.50% |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 1,128 | $110,000 | 13% | 11.25% |
| BayFirst National Bank | 1,125 | $150,000 | 2% | 12.25% |
| The Huntington National Bank | 1,121 | $269,000 | 56% | 10.25% |
| Northeast Bank | 1,080 | $138,600 | 13% | 10.50% |
| Live Oak Banking Company | 805 | $500,000 | 20% | 9.49% |
| Celtic Bank Corporation | 802 | $150,000 | 17% | 10.25% |
| Bank of America | 640 | $300,000 | 9% | 7.36% |
What stands out about California
Reading the state's own figures against the national picture:
- Loans here run larger than average. The median of $205,000 is 37% above the $150,000 national median. Expect lenders in this market to be geared toward bigger deals, and expect a small request to get less attention.
- This is a hard market for new businesses. Only 25.6% of these loans went to startups, against 33.6% nationally. If you are pre-revenue, work from the startup table below rather than the main list.
Who borrows in California
The industry mix of SBA borrowers here, led by retail.
| Sector | Loans | Share | Median loan | To startups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail | 3,228 | 12.9% | $275,000 | 25% |
| Restaurants and Hotels | 3,072 | 12.3% | $320,000 | 38% |
| Professional Services | 3,037 | 12.2% | $150,000 | 17% |
| Construction | 2,913 | 11.7% | $150,000 | 20% |
| Personal Services | 2,365 | 9.5% | $150,000 | 30% |
| Healthcare | 2,354 | 9.4% | $300,000 | 27% |
| Manufacturing | 1,451 | 5.8% | $276,000 | 20% |
| Wholesale | 1,427 | 5.7% | $286,000 | 15% |
| Admin Services | 1,154 | 4.6% | $163,550 | 30% |
| Trucking | 1,076 | 4.3% | $150,000 | 24% |
| Arts and Recreation | 893 | 3.6% | $150,000 | 46% |
| Real Estate | 625 | 2.5% | $150,000 | 20% |
Where the money goes in California
SBA lending is more concentrated than state totals suggest, and Los Angeles County alone accounts for 30% of the state's loans.
| County | Loans | Median loan | Total approved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County | 7,377 | $210,000 | $4.0 billion |
| Orange County | 2,757 | $229,000 | $1.4 billion |
| San Diego County | 2,485 | $175,000 | $1.2 billion |
| Riverside County | 1,509 | $150,000 | $734.9 million |
| San Bernardino County | 1,330 | $200,000 | $666.5 million |
| Sacramento County | 973 | $211,000 | $528.1 million |
| Santa Clara County | 948 | $250,000 | $548.3 million |
| Alameda County | 892 | $248,500 | $512.2 million |
| Contra Costa County | 664 | $150,000 | $296.0 million |
| Ventura County | 572 | $150,000 | $240.5 million |
| San Francisco County | 472 | $250,000 | $265.2 million |
| Fresno County | 422 | $350,000 | $274.9 million |
SBA 504 in California
7(a) is the general-purpose program. 504 is the one for buying the building or the heavy equipment, at a long fixed rate — a different program with its own lenders, called Certified Development Companies.
| Measure | California 504 | National 504 |
|---|---|---|
| Projects approved | 4,617 | 22,192 |
| Median CDC share | $904,000 | $730,000 |
| Median total project | $2,010,000 | $1,642,000 |
| Median term | 25 years | 25 years |
- Which CDCs operate here, and on what terms: SBA 504 in California
- How the two programs differ: SBA 504 loans and SBA 7(a) loans
How to use this page
- Start from the lender table, not a search engine. Shortlist three whose median loan in California is near what you need. Size match beats brand.
- Follow your industry link in the sector table for the lenders that fund your kind of business in this state specifically.
- Then your county, if it is listed, for the local picture.
- Check the payment before you apply with the affordability calculator — lenders decline on cash flow more than on anything else.
- Filter the whole lender file yourself in the lender finder if you want to combine state, industry, loan size and business age at once.
Other states
Questions people actually ask
How many SBA loans are approved in California each year?
24,947 SBA 7(a) loans were approved to businesses in California across fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026, worth $13.4 billion in total. Over the most recent comparable months the number of approvals ran down 20.2% year on year, while the dollars approved ran down 7.8%.
Which bank approves the most SBA loans in California?
U.S. Bank, with 3,058 loans approved to businesses in the state and a median loan of $50,000. That makes it the most active, not necessarily the best fit — a lender whose median is far from your number is usually the wrong call.
Do I have to use a lender based in California?
No. SBA lenders routinely lend across state lines and several of the largest are non-bank lenders with no branches at all. What the state data tells you is which institutions are already comfortable with businesses like yours here.