SBA loans by state
SBA loans in Colorado: 1,474 approvals in FY 2026, median $263,250
The state stood out for loans to beer, wine, and liquor retailers. Only 8% of the loans came from lenders based in Colorado.
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Colorado: 7(a) loans approved last year
1,474
| Your rate vs. last year’s loans of this size, all states | about the median for this size |
| Colorado: median rate at approval, $250,001 to $350,000 | 9.75% |
| Colorado: median 7(a) loan last year | $263,250 |
| Payment over 10 years, SBA fee added to the loan | $3,517/mo |
Last year’s loans: the 7(a) loans SBA approved from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026 (fiscal year 2026), in SBA’s public loan file of September 30, 2026. Rates at approval were set when prime was 6.75% or 7.00%; today: prime rate 7.00% on November 2, 2026. Your rate is compared on its margin over prime, so the change in prime since last year does not count against you.
Colorado, FY 2026: 1,474 SBA 7(a) approvals for $893.1 million (13th of the 50 states and DC, SBA file of September 30, 2026). The state stood out for loans to beer, wine, and liquor retailers. Only 8% of the loans came from lenders based in Colorado. No lender dominated: the busiest made 12% of loans. 18% of loans financed the purchase of a business. Only 7% of variable loans sat at the SBA maximum. Lending was spread out; Jefferson County led with 14%. The median loan, $263,250, was the 15th largest of the 50 states and DC. 27% of loans had their guaranteed part sold to investors. Express was used for only 27% of loans. Loan sizes were even, with an average of $605,879. Today’s cap on a $263,000 variable loan: 11.50%.
Fee notices read and loan file counted by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
| Lender | FY 2026 loans | Median loan | Median variable rate | Lender’s home state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Bank | 173 | $45,000 | 10.37% | Ohio |
| Newtek Bank | 132 | $225,000 | 9.75% | Florida |
| Huntington National Bank | 113 | $150,000 | 9.25% | Ohio |
| Northeast Bank | 87 | $200,000 | 9.75% | Maine |
| Live Oak Banking | 86 | $350,000 | 9.24% | North Carolina |
More common here than nationally: beer, wine, and liquor retailers
69 Colorado loans went to beer, wine, and liquor retailers, 5.0 times the national share for that trade. The most frequent trades overall were full-service restaurants, beer, wine, and liquor retailers and plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors. Shops and service outlets are often bought as going concerns or franchise units, with loans small enough that the variable cap may reach prime plus 6 points.
Almost no in-state SBA lending
Home-state lenders made just 8% of Colorado’s loans, 6th lowest among the 50 states and DC. A borrower here usually ends up with U.S. Bank and Newtek Bank, dealing by phone and online rather than at a branch. Margins: 2.00 points over prime at the median for in-state lenders, 2.75 points for the others.
No single lender dominates
The busiest lender in Colorado, U.S. Bank, made only 12% of loans, a top-lender share 8th lowest among the 50 states and DC, and the five busiest together 40%. 142 lenders took part.
A market for business buyers
Acquisitions took 18% of Colorado’s SBA loans, 7th highest among the 50 states and DC. Each followed SBA’s rules for buying a business, with their own requirements on the buyer’s equity, the valuation and any seller note.
| Loan size | Loans | Median variable rate, FY 2026 | SBA maximum today |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 or less | 254 | 10.50% | 13.50% |
| $50,001 to $250,000 | 476 | 9.75% | 13.00% |
| $250,001 to $350,000 | 185 | 9.75% | 11.50% |
| over $350,000 | 559 | 8.75% | 10.00% |
Few loans at the ceiling
Only 7% of Colorado’s variable loans were priced at the SBA maximum (11% nationally). A quote at the cap would be out of line with what Colorado lenders usually charged.
Spread across the state
No county dominates: the busiest, Jefferson County, had 14% of approvals, followed by Denver County (198) and El Paso County (189).
Larger loans than most states
The median Colorado approval was $263,250, 15th of the 50 states and DC ($220,000 nationally). At that size the variable cap is prime plus 4.5 points, 11.50% today, and the FY 2027 guaranty fee on the median loan is $5,923.
Many guaranteed parts resold
The guaranteed part of 27% of Colorado’s loans had been sold on the secondary market by the date of the file (23% nationally). The borrower keeps the same lender and terms; the sale lets the lender fund new loans.
Counties with the most approvals: Jefferson (212), Denver (198) and El Paso (189). Trades: full-service restaurants (73), beer, wine, and liquor retailers (69), plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors (39), residential remodelers (36) and limited-service restaurants (34).
All states compared.