The average interest rate for a 30-year, fixed-rate conforming mortgage loan in the U.S. is 5.901%, a decrease of about 4 basis points from the day before, according to data from mortgage data company Optimal Blue.
Meanwhile, the average rate for a 15-year, fixed-rate conforming mortgage loan is 5.337%, up approximately 1 basis point (when rounded) for the same period.
Rates current as of March 3, 2026. Fortune publishes a daily mortgage rates post each weekday that data is available.
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Compare mortgage rates for March 3, 2026
Here’s a quick look at week-over-week rate changes.
Fortune reviewed the latest Optimal Blue data available on March 2, reflecting rates for loans locked in as of Feb. 27.
What you’d pay in interest with where rates are at on March 3, 2026
We ran the numbers through the mortgage calculator provided by the federal government’s Office of Financial Readiness. At the current rate of 5.901%, on a 30-year mortgage where you borrow $300,000, you’d pay roughly $340,657.57 in interest over the life of the loan.
On a 15-year mortgage with the same loan amount used for the estimate, you’d pay roughly $136,567.99 in interest over the life of the loan at the current rate of 5.337%.
Read on to see how mortgage rates have changed day over day.
30-year conventional mortgage: Down about 4 basis points
This may be the most popular mortgage type in the United States.
The current average 30-year mortgage rate is 5.901%. That’s down from 5.937% on the last day’s report.
15-year conventional mortgage: Up about 1 basis point
This type of mortgage is popular with homeowners seeking to minimize interest payments over the life of their loan.
The current average 15-year mortgage rate is 5.337%. That’s up from 5.334% on the last day’s report.
30-year jumbo mortgage: Down about 8 basis points
A jumbo mortgage is one that exceeds the conforming loan limits set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. While the limit can vary in certain high-cost-of-living-areas, in most of the U.S., it’s $832,750 for 2026.
The current average rate on a 30-year jumbo loan is 6.133%. That’s down from 6.214% on the last day’s report.
30-year FHA mortgage: Down about 4 basis points
This type of mortgage is oftentimes more accessible to borrowers with slightly lower credit scores than conventional mortgages. Lenders are protected because these loans are insured by the Federal Housing Administration.
The current average rate on a 30-year FHA home loan is 5.861%. That’s down from 5.903% on the last day’s report.
30-year VA mortgage: Down about 10 basis points
These loans are, in general, available to U.S. military members and veterans and surviving spouses. One attractive feature is that they have no minimum down payment requirement, unlike most other mortgage types.
The current average rate on a 30-year VA home loan is 5.526%. That’s down from 5.633% on the last day’s report.
30-year USDA mortgage: Up 3 basis points
A USDA loan is meant to help low- to moderate-income borrowers purchase a home in an eligible rural area. Like VA loans, USDA loans have no minimum down payment requirement.
The current average rate on a 30-year USDA home loan is 5.869%. That’s up from 5.839% on the last day’s report.
What the Federal Reserve is doing in 2026
While the Fed does not set mortgage rates directly, it does set the federal funds rate, and that tends to influence rates on products such as mortgages.
The federal funds rate is what banks charge each other to borrow money overnight. When the Fed hikes this benchmark rate, rates on mortgages and other financial products often go up accordingly. And when the Fed decreases this rate, interest rates on mortgages and similar products are likely to decrease as well.
At its most recent meeting Jan. 27-28, the Federal Open Market Committee left the federal funds rate where it was at 3.50% – 3.75%. The FOMC has another meeting coming up on March 17-18.
The historical low for an average mortgage rate was 2.65% in January 2021. But this came after the Fed had dropped the federal funds rate to effectively zero in 2020 in an effort to combat recession as the country battled the coronavirus pandemic.
Barring a major disaster, experts do not expect mortgage rates to go that low again in the foreseeable future.
Trends with mortgage applications
Mortgage applications 0.4% for the week ending Feb. 20, 2026, compared to a week prior, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Refinancing increased 4% from the previous week, according to the MBA. And, as a percentage of total applications, the share that was refi activity increased to 58.6%.
“Purchase applications were down over the week but were 12% higher than a year ago, as the combination of lower rates and improving affordability conditions continue to support stronger demand than last year,” Joel Kan, MBA’s vice president and deputy chief economist, said in a news release.
Recent reporting on the housing market from Fortune
Want to make sure you know what’s going on in the economy? The Fortune newsroom has you covered:
- A startup buying up U.K. real estate brokers and streamlining their processes with AI gets $93 million in funding to fuel expansion
- The affordability crisis is driving unprecedented price cuts in the housing market, Realtor.com says
- We may be looking at the housing affordability crisis all wrong. Higher earners are driving home prices, not lack of supply, researchers say
Why you should comparison shop
Comparison shopping for the best mortgage for you can make a tangible difference in what you pay. According to Freddie Mac, when rates are high, homebuyers who apply with multiple mortgage lenders might save anywhere from $600 to $1,200 per year.
When you comparison shop, bear in mind you’re looking at two things. One is applying with different lenders to see who can offer you the best rate, service that aligns with your expectations, etc. The other is considering different types of home loans.
Someone who has excellent credit might get the best deal with a conventional mortgage. But, for someone with a credit score under 600, an FHA home loan might offer a chance for approval whereas seeking a conventional mortgage would likely result in a rejection.
Frequently asked questions
Are a mortgage’s interest rate and APR the same?
Not entirely. Your APR includes your interest rate plus any applicable fees, meaning APR will generally be higher than interest rate alone.
What’s a good mortgage rate in March 2026?
With the average rate for a 30-year conventional mortgage hovering in the vicinity of 6.00% lately, scoring a rate around 6.00% means you’re doing fine. And if by chance you get a rate lower than 6.00%, that’s very good.
Will mortgage rates go down?
It’s possible but far from certain. Mortgage rates might decrease slightly if the Federal Reserve decides to lower the federal funds rate in 2026. But there are other factors influencing mortgage rates too, including inflation, the national debt, and how much demand there is for home loans.
