SBA Loan Data by Industry
Default rates, loan volumes and performance benchmarks across 99+ industries. Powered by 1,283,073+ resolved SBA loans.
What is the average SBA loan default rate?
Across 1,283,073+ resolved SBA 7(a) loans in this dataset, the average default rate is about 15.8%, calculated as charge offs divided by fully resolved loans rather than the full active book. Default risk differs widely by industry. Some sectors run in the low single digits while others exceed 20%, and franchised concepts often default at a lower rate than independents in the same industry. Select your industry below to review its default rate before you apply.
PeerSense analysis of resolved SBA loan outcomes. Updated July 2026.
Showing 99 industries
Industry | NAICS | Total Loans | Default Rate | Avg Loan | Franchise Rate | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional/Technical Services | 541 | 125,902 | 13.4% | $270K | 16.3% | -2.9% |
| Limited-Service Restaurants | 722 | 121,027 | 18.9% | $304K | 17.3% | +1.6% |
| Ambulatory Healthcare | 621 | 85,323 | 8.2% | $357K | 7.5% | +0.7% |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 238 | 69,474 | 16.4% | $264K | 16.3% | +0.1% |
| Repair & Maintenance | 811 | 63,153 | 14.4% | $329K | 20% | -5.6% |
| Personal Care Services | 812 | 62,098 | 17.5% | $245K | 12.7% | +4.8% |
| Administrative Support | 561 | 53,535 | 17.3% | $196K | 13.7% | +3.6% |
| Food & Beverage Stores | 445 | 41,682 | 16.2% | $368K | 18.9% | -2.7% |
| Truck Transportation | 484 | 34,105 | 16.6% | $192K | 8% | +8.6% |
| Wholesale-Durable Goods | 423 | 32,821 | 17.8% | $462K | 17.7% | +0.1% |
View Full Industry Analysis
89+ more industries with detailed default rates, loan volumes and franchise advantage data.
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Professional/Technical Services
NAICS 541Limited-Service Restaurants
NAICS 722Ambulatory Healthcare
NAICS 621Specialty Trade Contractors
NAICS 238Repair & Maintenance
NAICS 811Personal Care Services
NAICS 812Administrative Support
NAICS 561Food & Beverage Stores
NAICS 445Truck Transportation
NAICS 484Wholesale-Durable Goods
NAICS 423Full Industry Analysis
89+ more industries available with a PeerSense subscription.
Talk to PeerSenseUnderstanding SBA Loan Default Rates by Industry
SBA loan default rates differ significantly by industry. Our database tracks over 1.2 million resolved SBA loans across every major industry sector, giving you research based context on industry performance and risk. Pair this data with our SBA Lender Directory to find lenders that specialize in your target industry.
The Franchise Advantage column compares franchise businesses with independent operators in the same industry. A positive number means franchise businesses default less often. A negative number means independents perform better in that sector. Review individual franchise brands and their FPI scores in our Franchise Directory with 5,100+ brands.
How We Calculate Default Rates
Default rates use only resolved SBA loans, meaning loans marked Paid in Full or Charged Off. Active loans, cancelled loans and exempt loans are excluded, so the figures show past performance. This method measures actual outcomes rather than projections.
Using This Data
Whether you are buying a business, assessing risk as a lender, or comparing franchise opportunities, industry level SBA data gives your deal useful context. Select an industry above for detailed benchmarks, top lenders and franchise comparisons. If you are looking to buy an existing business, check our data backed marketplace.
Use this data
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Source: PeerSense SBA Industry Benchmarks, https://peersense.com/industry-data
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PeerSense SBA Industry Benchmarks cover default rates, average loan size and top lenders across 100 plus NAICS sectors, based on more than 2.1 million SBA loan outcomes (PeerSense, 2026).
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Source: <a href="https://peersense.com/industry-data">PeerSense SBA Industry Benchmarks</a> (2026).
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PeerSense. (2026). SBA Loan Default Rates by Industry and Franchise. Retrieved from https://peersense.com/industry-data
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SBA default rates by industry, based on 2.1M plus loan outcomes.100 plus NAICS sectors with franchise versus independent splits.Source: PeerSense →
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<blockquote style="max-width:440px;margin:1rem 0;padding:16px 20px;border-left:4px solid #b5893a;background:#f8fafc;font-family:system-ui,sans-serif;"><strong style="display:block;font-size:16px;color:#0f172a;">SBA default rates by industry, from 2.1M plus loan outcomes.</strong><span style="display:block;margin-top:4px;font-size:14px;color:#475569;">100 plus NAICS sectors with franchise vs independent splits.</span><a href="https://peersense.com/industry-data" style="display:inline-block;margin-top:8px;font-size:13px;color:#b5893a;text-decoration:none;">Source: PeerSense →</a></blockquote>
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Reviewed by Edward L. Freeman, Founder and Managing Director, PeerSense
- PeerSense is a capital advisory firm that places commercial financing with direct capital sources; it does not lend, fund, or approve loans, and the capital source sets final terms.
- Edward L. Freeman founded PeerSense in January 2020.
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