Lending data
Who actually lends to professional services firms in Montana?
59 SBA 7(a) loans went to professional services firms in Montana recently, at a median of $150,000. Here are the lenders that made them, ranked.
59 SBA 7(a) loans went to professional services firms in Montana in the most recent fiscal years. The median was $150,000 over 10 years. The most active lender was Wells Fargo Bank, with 9 loans.
What lending to professional services firms in Montana 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 | Professional and technical services, Montana | All 7(a) borrowers |
|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 59 | 214,102 |
| Median loan | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 25th - 75th percentile | $50,000 - $407,000 | $50,000 - $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.75% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 42.4% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010-19 cohort | 2.1% | 7.1% |
Which lenders actually funded them
Ranked by loans approved to professional services firms in Montana. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Bank | 9 | $15,000 | 100% | 13.00% |
| Live Oak Banking Company | 7 | $252,500 | 43% | 11.00% |
| The Huntington National Bank | 5 | $275,000 | 20% | 10.75% |
| BayFirst National Bank | 4 | $150,000 | 0% | 12.88% |
| Glacier Bank | 4 | $394,950 | 75% | 8.00% |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 3 | $50,000 | 0% | 14.00% |
| Manhattan Bank | 2 | $40,000 | 0% | 8.50% |
| Clearwater FCU | 2 | $175,000 | 0% | 9.50% |
| Northeast Bank | 2 | $375,000 | 0% | 10.88% |
| Montana Community Development Corp | 2 | $127,000 | 100% | 12.00% |
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.
- New businesses do well here. 42% of these loans went to startups or businesses under two years old, against 34% nationally — an unusually open market if you have no trading history.
- No single lender dominates, but the top three made 36% 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.
- This market has performed well. Its FY2010-2019 charge-off rate of 2.1% is below the 7.1% overall figure, which is part of why lenders compete for it.
Which of them lend to new businesses
Of those loans, 42.4% 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 | 9 | $15,000 | 100% | 13.00% |
| Glacier Bank | 3 | $394,950 | 75% | 8.00% |
| Live Oak Banking Company | 3 | $252,500 | 43% | 11.00% |
| Montana Community Development Corp | 2 | $127,000 | 100% | 12.00% |
| Northwest Bank | 2 | $320,000 | 100% | 11.25% |
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 Montana: construction, retail, restaurants and hotels, personal services, healthcare, admin services
- Professional Services in comparable states: Rhode Island, Mississippi, New Mexico, Vermont, Wyoming, Arkansas