Education
SBA Lenders for Education
Top lenders ranked by real SBA lending data for education nationwide.
What Borrowers Should Know
Education loans are priced 33 basis points tighter than the national SBA average (P+2.42% vs P+2.75%), suggesting lenders view this sector as lower-risk. This savings compounds—on a $500K loan over 10 years, you'd pay roughly $16,500 less in interest than a typical SBA borrower. Check if your education business qualifies for this pricing advantage, as it signals lender confidence in sector stability.
Three mega-lenders (Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, U.S. Bank) control 47% of all education SBA deals (820 of 3,155). This concentration means smaller community lenders have less competition here, but also that you'll face faster approval timelines with the big players who have streamlined education lending workflows. Shop both tiers—you may get better terms from a regional specialist than from a national giant.
California accounts for 72% of all education SBA deals nationally (2,271 of 3,155), while Arkansas, Alabama, and Colorado combined represent only 481. If your education business is outside the West Coast, you're in underserved territory—fewer competing applications per lender, which can speed underwriting. However, lenders in low-deal states may have less specialized education expertise, so request their education lending track record.
Total SBA Loans
16,339
Active Lenders
1,471
Avg Deal Size
$466K
Total Volume
$7.6B
Education SBA loans average $466K in deal size across 16,339 total loans. The median 7(a) spread in this segment is P + 2.41%.
Top Lenders for Education
Ranked by total deal count nationwide.
| # | Lender | Type | Deals | Avg Size | Spread | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wells Fargo Bank National Association | Bank | 1,241 | $294K | P + 2.91%ABOVE AVG | |
| 2 | The Huntington National Bank | Bank | 912 | $221K | P + 2.36%AVERAGE | |
| 3 | JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association | Bank | 826 | $233K | P + 2.72%AVERAGE | |
| 4 | TD Bank, National Association | Bank | 537 | $122K | P + 2.22%GOOD | |
| 5 | Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company | Bank | 460 | $120K | P + 2.34%AVERAGE | |
| 6 | U.S. Bank, National Association | Bank | 435 | $388K | P + 2.06%GOOD | |
| 7 | Celtic Bank Corporation | Bank | 286 | $294K | P + 2.77%ABOVE AVG | |
| 8 | PNC Bank, National Association | Bank | 241 | $380K | P + 2.33%AVERAGE | |
| 9 | Newtek Bank, National Association | Bank | 232 | $369K | P + 3.36%ABOVE AVG | |
| 10 | BayFirst National Bank | Bank | 218 | $201K | P + 3.47%ABOVE AVG | |
| 11 | Zions Bank, A Division of | Bank | 215 | $326K | P + 2.20%GOOD | |
| 12 | Northeast Bank | Bank | 204 | $104K | P + 2.94%ABOVE AVG | |
| 13 | Readycap Lending, LLC | Non-Bank | 189 | $336K | P + 3.76%HIGH | |
| 14 | VelocitySBA, LLC | Bank | 189 | $49K | P + 4.08%HIGH | |
| 15 | Columbia Bank | Bank | 178 | $404K | P + 3.42%ABOVE AVG |
Top States for Education
Where education SBA lending is most active.