# $1,250,000 SBA loan: monthly payment, fees and programs

**Short answer:** A $1,250,000 SBA loan costs up to $16,519 a month over 10 years at today's maximum rate of 10.00%. SBA Express stops at $500,000, so this size goes through 7(a). The upfront guaranty fee is about $32,813 on a 7(a) loan.

Canonical page: https://www.sbaexpress.loans/loan-amounts/1250000-business-loan/
Data as of: 2026-06-30

## Monthly payment at today's maximum rate

A variable-rate 7(a) loan of $1,250,000 can carry a rate up to Prime plus 3.0 percentage points (13 CFR 120.214(d)). WSJ Prime is 7.00% as of Nov 10, 2026, so the ceiling is 10.00% today.

Your lender sets the actual rate, at or below that ceiling. The payments below use the ceiling. They show the most a variable-rate loan this size can cost at today's Prime.

**$1,250,000 at the maximum rate, by term**

| Term | Monthly payment | Total interest |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 years | $16,519 | $732,261 |
| 15 years | $13,433 | $1,167,862 |
| 20 years | $12,063 | $1,645,065 |
| 25 years | $11,359 | $2,157,628 |

Each payment is for a fully amortizing term loan. A variable rate can adjust no more often than monthly (13 CFR 120.214(a)), so your payment moves when Prime moves. A fixed rate has its own SBA ceiling, which SBA publishes separately.

SBA sets the longest term by use of proceeds (SOP 50 10 8.1, Appendix 17):

- Working capital: 10 years.
- Equipment: 10 years, or up to 15 years if the IRS asset class useful life supports it.
- Real estate: 25 years, plus any reasonable construction or renovation period.

**Maximum variable rate by loan size (13 CFR 120.214(d))**

| Loan size | Maximum variable rate | Maximum rate today |
| --- | --- | --- |
| $50,000 or less | Prime plus 6.5 percentage points | 13.50% |
| $50,001 to $250,000 | Prime plus 6.0 percentage points | 13.00% |
| $250,001 to $350,000 | Prime plus 4.5 percentage points | 11.50% |
| **Over $350,000 (this loan)** | Prime plus 3.0 percentage points | 10.00% |

## SBA guaranty fee at $1,250,000

SBA charges its upfront guaranty fee on the guaranteed part of the loan, not on the whole loan. The fee rate depends on the gross loan size (SBA Information Notice 5000-881797).

At this size the fee is about $32,813 on a 7(a) loan.

**Upfront guaranty fee at $1,250,000**

| Program | Upfront fee | Share of loan | SBA guaranty | Guaranteed portion |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Standard 7(a) | $32,813 | 2.62% | 75% | $937,500 |

FY2027 upfront fee schedule

- Loans of $150,000 or less: 2% of the guaranteed portion.
- Loans of $150,001 to $700,000: 3% of the guaranteed portion.
- Loans of $700,001 to $5,000,000: 3.5% of the guaranteed portion up to $1,000,000, plus 3.75% of the guaranteed portion over $1,000,000.

The schedule covers loans approved from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, with a maturity over 12 months (SBA Information Notice 5000-881797, page 2). A maturity of 12 months or less pays 0.25% of the guaranteed portion.

SBA also charges the lender an annual service fee of 0.55% of the outstanding guaranteed balance. Lenders may not pass it on to you (SBA Information Notice 5000-881797, page 1).

## Try a different amount

The calculator starts at $1,250,000 and 10 years. Change the amount or the term to see a new payment and a new fee.

## Which SBA programs fit $1,250,000

Size alone allows Standard 7(a) and CAPLines at this amount. A 504 loan fits only when the money buys fixed assets. Size is the first test. The lender decides whether your business qualifies.

**SBA programs and a loan of $1,250,000**

| Program | Size limit | At this size |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [SBA Express](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/sba-programs/sba-express/) | Up to $500,000 | Over the limit |
| [Standard 7(a)](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/sba-programs/7a-loans/) | Over $350,000, up to $5,000,000 | Within the limit |
| [CAPLines](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/sba-programs/caplines/) | Up to $5,000,000 | Within the limit |
| [504](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/sba-programs/504-loans/) | Debenture $25,000 to $5,000,000 | Fixed assets only |
| [Microloans](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/sba-programs/microloans/) | Up to $50,000 | Over the limit |

**Why each program fits or does not**

- **SBA Express.** Above the $500,000 maximum, so a loan this size goes through standard 7(a).
- **Standard 7(a).** SBA guarantees 75%, up to $3,750,000 for a borrower and its affiliates. Minimum debt service coverage is 1.15:1.
- **CAPLines.** A 7(a) line of credit. The four types are Working Capital, Contract, Seasonal and Builders.
- **504.** A 504 loan finances major fixed assets such as land, buildings and long-term machinery and equipment, not working capital or inventory. The usual split is 50% third party lender, 40% CDC debenture, 10% borrower.
- **Microloans.** Above the $50,000 maximum.

Sources: SBA Express, SOP 50 10 8.1: Sec. B, Ch. 2, Para. B.1; Standard 7(a), SOP 50 10 8.1: Sec. B, Ch. 1; App. 16, Para. A.1; Sec. B, Ch. 1, Para. C; 13 CFR § 120.151; 13 CFR § 120.210; CAPLines, SOP 50 10 8.1: Sec. B, Ch. 4, Para. B.1; Sec. B, Ch. 4, Para. A; App. 19, Para. B.5; 504, SOP 50 10 8.1: Sec. C, Ch. 1, Para. D.1; Sec. A, Ch. 3, Para. A; Sec. C, Ch. 1, Para. B; 13 CFR § 120.930(b); 13 CFR § 120.931; sba.gov/loans/504-loans; Microloans, 13 CFR § 120.707(b); sba.gov/loans/microloans.

## What changes at $1,250,000

Loan size moves seven rules. The table shows each one and where $1,250,000 falls. Dollar edges are inclusive at the top: a loan of exactly $150,000 is in the lower group.

**The next rule change comes at $5,000,000.** No 7(a) loan can be larger. The maximum is $5,000,000.

**The last change was at $700,000.** The upfront fee is 3% of the guaranteed portion up to $700,000. Above it, the upfront fee is 3.5% of the guaranteed portion up to $1,000,000, plus 3.75% of the guaranteed portion over $1,000,000. The fee waiver for manufacturers, listed food supply chain businesses and rural businesses ends.

**Rules that depend on loan size, and where $1,250,000 falls**

| Rule | Where it changes | At this size |
| --- | --- | --- |
| No-collateral line | Up to $50,000 on SBA Express, 7(a) Small and CAPLines | Over the line |
| Maximum variable rate | Steps down above $50,000, $250,000 and $350,000 | Prime plus 3.0 percentage points, 10.00% today |
| SBA guaranty, 7(a) | 85% on loans of $150,000 or less and 75% on larger loans | 75% |
| Upfront guaranty fee rate | Steps up above $150,000 and $700,000 | 3.5% of the guaranteed portion up to $1,000,000, plus 3.75% of the guaranteed portion over $1,000,000 |
| 7(a) Small or Standard 7(a) | 7(a) Small up to $350,000. Standard 7(a): more than $350,000 | Standard 7(a). Minimum debt service coverage is 1.15:1. |
| SBA Express maximum | $500,000 in total, counting your other outstanding SBA Express loans | Over the maximum. |
| 7(a) maximum | $5,000,000, with the guaranty capped at $3,750,000 | Within the maximum. |

Sources: No-collateral line, SOP 50 10 8.1: App. 19, Para. B.3; Maximum variable rate, 13 CFR § 120.214(d); 7(a) guaranty, SOP 50 10 8.1: App. 16, Para. A.1; Upfront fee, SBA Information Notice 5000-881797, p. 2; 7(a) Small and Standard 7(a), SOP 50 10 8.1: Sec. B, Ch. 2, Para. B.1; Sec. B, Ch. 1, Para. C; SBA Express maximum, SOP 50 10 8.1: Sec. B, Ch. 2, Para. B.1; App. 16, Para. B.2; 7(a) maximum, SOP 50 10 8.1: Sec. B, Ch. 1, Para. B.1; 13 CFR § 120.151.

**Collateral above the line.** The rule depends on the program.

- Standard 7(a): the collateral rules are in SOP 50 10 8.1, Appendix 19.
- Any program: a loan request must not be declined solely because collateral is inadequate.

## Loans SBA approved near $1,250,000

3,386: Loans near this size, FY2024 to June 30, 2026

$1,244,100: Median loan in the group

9.25%: Median rate at approval

126 months: Median term

SBA approved 3,386 loans near $1,250,000 from the start of FY2024 through June 30, 2026, and 8,337 since FY2020. A loan counts as near when its amount is $1,118,034 to $1,369,306. We split the range between two neighboring sizes at their geometric mean, so each loan counts under one size. 99 of the recent loans were for exactly $1,250,000.

The median rate at approval was 9.25%. That is the rate on the middle loan when it was approved, so it is a past rate and not an offer. Among variable-rate loans, the median loan was priced 2 percentage points over Prime at approval. The ceiling at this size is Prime plus 3.0 percentage points.

0.0% of these loans went through SBA Express or Export Express, and 0.4% were lines of credit.

Loans near $1,250,000 by fiscal year

- FY2020: 980
- FY2021: 1,677
- FY2022: 1,193
- FY2023: 1,101
- FY2024: 1,190
- FY2025: 1,285
- FY2026: 911

Fiscal years run October 1 to September 30. FY2026 counts loans through June 30, 2026.

**Lenders with the most loans near $1,250,000, FY2024 to June 30, 2026**

| Lender | Loans |
| --- | --- |
| [Live Oak Banking Company](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/sba-express-lenders/live-oak-banking-company/) | 233 |
| [The Huntington National Bank](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/sba-express-lenders/the-huntington-national-bank/) | 212 |
| [U.S. Bank](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/sba-express-lenders/u-s-bank/) | 102 |
| [Wells Fargo Bank](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/sba-express-lenders/wells-fargo-bank/) | 97 |
| [Harvest Small Business Finance, LLC](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/sba-express-lenders/harvest-small-business-finance-llc/) | 90 |

A lender's past loans do not describe its current credit policy.

**Industries with the most loans near $1,250,000, FY2024 to June 30, 2026**

| Industry | Loans |
| --- | --- |
| [Full-Service Restaurants](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/industries/full-service-restaurants/) | 246 |
| [Limited-Service Restaurants](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/industries/limited-service-restaurants/) | 149 |
| [Child Care Services](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/industries/child-care-services/) | 110 |
| [Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/industries/gasoline-stations-with-convenience-stores-457110/) | 96 |
| [Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/industries/beer-wine-liquor-retailers/) | 95 |

## Other loan sizes

- [$750,000: 5,835 loans since FY2024](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/loan-amounts/750000-business-loan/)
- [$1,000,000: 5,549 loans since FY2024](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/loan-amounts/1000000-business-loan/)
- [$1,500,000: 3,797 loans since FY2024](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/loan-amounts/1500000-business-loan/)
- [$2,000,000: 3,341 loans since FY2024](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/loan-amounts/2000000-business-loan/)
- [All loan sizes: 32 sizes from $5,000 to $5,000,000](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/loan-amounts/)

## Common questions

### What is the monthly payment on a $1,250,000 SBA loan?

At today's maximum rate of 10.00%, the payment is up to $16,519 a month over 10 years and up to $11,359 over 25 years. Your lender sets the actual rate at or below that ceiling.

### Can I use SBA Express for $1,250,000?

No. SBA Express stops at $500,000, and this size is above it. A loan this size goes through 7(a), which allows up to $5,000,000.

### Do you need collateral for an SBA loan of this size?

This size is over the $50,000 no-collateral line, so it depends on the program (SOP 50 10 8.1, Appendix 19).

- Standard 7(a): the collateral rules are in SOP 50 10 8.1, Appendix 19.
- Any program: a loan request must not be declined solely because collateral is inadequate.

### How much is the SBA guaranty fee on a $1,250,000 loan?

On a 7(a) loan the upfront guaranty fee is about $32,813. The guaranteed portion is $937,500. The fee is 3.5% of the guaranteed portion up to $1,000,000, plus 3.75% of the guaranteed portion over $1,000,000. The rate depends on the gross loan size (SBA Information Notice 5000-881797).

### What was the median rate on SBA loans near $1,250,000?

The median rate at approval was 9.25% on the 3,386 loans near $1,250,000 that SBA approved from FY2024 through June 30, 2026. It is a past rate, not an offer. Today's maximum is 10.00%.

How to read this

Counts come from SBA's 7(a) loan-level data release, as of June 30, 2026. The file lists loans SBA approved. It does not list declined applications, so it cannot show approval odds. We do not publish any figure built on fewer than 5 loans. Loan size is the gross loan amount at approval. Median rates are the rates set at approval, not today's rates. A loan counts as near a size when it falls in that size's range. We split the range between two neighboring sizes at their geometric mean. [How we build these pages](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/method/).

## Sources

- [SBA 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan-level data, as of June 30, 2026](https://data.sba.gov/dataset/7a-504-foia)
- [WSJ Prime Rate, Federal Reserve series DPRIME via FRED](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DPRIME)
- [13 CFR 120.214, variable interest rates](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/section-120.214)
- [SBA Information Notice 5000-881797, FY2027 7(a) fees](https://legacy.sba.gov/document/information-notice-5000-881797-fy-2027-7a-program-fees)
- [SOP 50 10 8.1, effective October 1, 2026](https://legacy.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2026-10/SOP%2050%2010%208.1%20Technical%20Policy%20Updates%20effective%20%2010.1.2026.docx)
- [13 CFR 120.707, microloans](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/section-120.707)