Lending data
Who actually lends to schools and training businesses in California?
470 SBA 7(a) loans went to schools and training businesses in California recently, at a median of $150,000. Here are the lenders that made them, ranked.
470 SBA 7(a) loans went to schools and training businesses in California in the most recent fiscal years. The median was $150,000 over 10 years. The most active lender was U.S. Bank, with 58 loans.
What lending to schools and training businesses in California actually looks like
Every figure on this page is computed from SBA 7(a) loan-level FOIA data released 2026-06-30. It reflects loans that were actually approved, not rate cards or advertised ranges.
| Measure | Educational services, California | All 7(a) borrowers |
|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 470 | 214,102 |
| Median loan | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 25th - 75th percentile | $50,000 - $400,000 | $50,000 - $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.75% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 34.5% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010-19 cohort | 6.9% | 7.1% |
Which lenders actually funded them
Ranked by loans approved to schools and training businesses in California. This is the list worth working from, because a lender that has funded dozens of businesses like yours in your state has seen your file before.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Bank | 58 | $47,500 | 33% | 9.49% |
| Wells Fargo Bank | 33 | $25,000 | 85% | 13.00% |
| Newtek Bank | 32 | $122,500 | 34% | 11.00% |
| The Huntington National Bank | 29 | $207,000 | 69% | 11.00% |
| Lendistry SBLC, LLC | 27 | $92,700 | 0% | 12.50% |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 24 | $50,000 | 12% | 13.25% |
| BayFirst National Bank | 23 | $120,000 | 0% | 12.75% |
| CDC Small Business Finance Corp | 22 | $142,500 | 77% | 11.62% |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank | 22 | $100,000 | 4% | 13.30% |
| Northeast Bank | 19 | $100,000 | 16% | 10.25% |
What stands out in this market
Reading the figures above against the national picture:
- Loan sizes are typical. The median of $150,000 is within a few percent of the $150,000 national median across all 7(a) borrowers, so nothing about this market is unusual on size.
- Startup share is about average, at 34% against 34% nationally.
- No single lender dominates, but the top three made 26% of these loans, so the shortlist below covers most of the active market.
- Rates run higher here. The median initial rate of 10.75% is 0.50 points above the 10.25% national median, which usually tracks loan size and perceived sector risk rather than geography.
Which of them lend to new businesses
Of those loans, 34.5% went to businesses the SBA classes as startups — new, under two years old, or opening with the proceeds. These are the lenders in this market that actually wrote them.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Bank | 28 | $25,000 | 85% | 13.00% |
| The Huntington National Bank | 20 | $207,000 | 69% | 11.00% |
| U.S. Bank | 19 | $47,500 | 33% | 9.49% |
| CDC Small Business Finance Corp | 17 | $142,500 | 77% | 11.62% |
| Newtek Bank | 11 | $122,500 | 34% | 11.00% |
| Live Oak Banking Company | 7 | $1,250,000 | 70% | 9.49% |
How to use this
- Shortlist three lenders from the table whose median loan is close to what you need.
- Ask each whether they are a Preferred Lender and how many 7(a) loans they closed last year. See choosing an SBA lender.
- Check your coverage first with the affordability calculator so you ask for a number the cash flow supports.
- Assemble the package before you call. The document checklist is the single biggest thing you control.
Compare other markets
- Other sectors in California: retail, restaurants and hotels, professional services, construction, personal services, healthcare
- Education in comparable states: Texas, New York, Florida, Ohio, New Jersey, Michigan