YouTube RPM Calculator
Calculate your YouTube RPM — how much revenue you earn per 1,000 video views. Understand your channel's earning potential and compare against typical RPM ranges.
What is RPM vs CPM?
It's common to confuse RPM and CPM, but they measure different things:
- RPM (Revenue Per Mille): This is how much money you actually make per 1,000 views. It includes all revenue streams (ads, Channel Memberships, Super Chat, YouTube Premium revenue) and is calculated after YouTube takes its 45% cut.
- CPM (Cost Per Mille): This is how much advertisers pay per 1,000 ad impressions. This number is before YouTube takes its cut, and only counts views where an ad was actually shown.
RPM is the most important metric for creators because it represents your actual take-home earnings per view.
Typical RPM Benchmarks by Niche
RPM varies wildly depending on your channel's niche, audience demographics (geography, age), and the time of year. Here are some typical RPM ranges:
- Finance, Business & Tech: $5.00 - $15.00+ (High value to advertisers)
- Education & Tutorials: $3.00 - $8.00
- Lifestyle & Vlogs: $2.00 - $5.00
- Gaming: $1.00 - $4.00 (Younger audience, high view volume but lower ad rates)
- Entertainment & Pranks: $1.00 - $3.00
How to Use This Calculator
- Open your YouTube Studio Analytics.
- Set the date range to the last 28 days or a specific month.
- Find your Estimated Revenue for that period.
- Find your Total Views for the same period.
- Enter both numbers into the calculator to see your RPM.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my RPM lower than my CPM?
Your RPM will almost always be lower than your CPM for two reasons: First, YouTube takes a 45% cut of ad revenue. Second, RPM is calculated using all your views, whereas CPM only counts views where an ad was actually served.
How can I increase my YouTube RPM?
You can increase your RPM by making videos longer than 8 minutes (allowing mid-roll ads), targeting higher-income demographics, creating content in advertiser-friendly niches like finance or tech, and encouraging viewers to become Channel Members.
Does RPM change over time?
Yes, RPM fluctuates throughout the year. It's typically highest in November and December (Q4) when advertisers spend more for the holiday season, and lowest in January.
Do Shorts have the same RPM?
No. YouTube Shorts have a significantly lower RPM than long-form videos. Shorts RPM is typically measured in cents (e.g., $0.01 - $0.05 per 1,000 views).
Is RPM calculated before or after taxes?
RPM is your estimated gross revenue after YouTube's cut, but before you pay personal income taxes or business taxes on your earnings.