Debt-to-Income (DTI) Ratio Calculator

Lenders look hard at DTI before approving you. See exactly where you stand.

Inputs

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Debt-to-income ratio
$34.75
Rated: Good
Front-end (housing)
23.8%
≤28% recommended
Back-end (all debt)
34.8%
≤36% recommended
Total monthly debt
$2,780.00

How it works

DTI = (total monthly debt payments ÷ gross monthly income) × 100. Front-end is just the housing portion.

Frequently asked questions

What DTI do lenders want?

Conventional mortgages typically want back-end DTI ≤43%. FHA can stretch to 50% with compensating factors.

What income counts?

Lenders use gross (pre-tax) monthly income from documented, ongoing sources.

How can I lower DTI quickly?

Either pay down debt or earn more. Even closing a small loan can drop DTI by a noticeable point.

Does DTI affect my credit score?

Not directly — credit scores use utilization, not DTI. But it heavily affects mortgage and loan approval.

Should I include 401k contributions?

No — DTI uses gross income before retirement deductions.

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