Debt to Income Ratio Calculator

Find your DTI by comparing monthly debt payments to gross monthly income, and see how a lender would rate it. Enter your numbers and press Calculate.

Written by TopicDrill Editorial Team·Updated June 2026

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Where your debt payments go

Housing$1,600

Car$400

Credit cards$150

Loans$300

How the DTI calculation works

Your debt to income ratio is simple division. Add up every required monthly debt payment, including your rent or mortgage, car payments, credit card minimums and any loans. Divide that total by your gross monthly income, the amount you earn before tax, then multiply by 100 to get a percent.

Lenders read the result quickly. A lower ratio means more of your income is free, so you can absorb a new payment without strain. A higher ratio signals that your budget is already stretched, which makes approval harder and rates less favorable.

A quick example

Suppose you earn $6,000 a month before tax and pay $1,600 for housing, $400 on a car, $150 in card minimums and $300 on a student loan. That is $2,450 in debt, so your DTI is 2,450 / 6,000 = about 41%. The housing-only front-end ratio is 1,600 / 6,000, or roughly 27%.

How to lower your DTI

You can improve the ratio two ways: reduce debt or raise income. Paying off a small balance removes its whole payment from the top of the fraction. Our debt snowball calculator can help you plan that. For lender standards and your rights, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a trustworthy reference.

Frequently asked questions

What is a debt to income ratio?

Your debt to income ratio, or DTI, is the share of your gross monthly income that goes to debt payments. You divide total monthly debt by gross monthly income and multiply by 100. Lenders use it to judge whether you can take on more debt comfortably.

What is a good DTI ratio?

A back-end DTI at or below 36% is generally considered healthy, and many lenders prefer it under 43% for a mortgage. Below 28% is excellent. The lower the ratio, the more room you have in your budget and the easier you are to approve.

What is the difference between front-end and back-end DTI?

The front-end ratio counts only your housing payment against your income. The back-end ratio counts all debts, including housing, car, credit cards and loans. Lenders usually weigh the back-end ratio most heavily, but they look at both.

Should I use gross or net income?

Use gross income, which is your pay before taxes and deductions. That is the figure lenders use when they calculate your DTI, so it keeps your number comparable to what underwriters will see.

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