Guide
YouTubeRPMUSANiche EarningsYouTube RPM by Niche in the USA: 2026 Data and Averages
RPM (Revenue Per Mille) is the amount you earn per 1,000 views after YouTube takes its 45% cut. US-based creators consistently earn the highest RPMs globally because US advertisers pay premium rates. This guide breaks down actual RPM ranges by niche using data from creator surveys, Social Blade estimates, and published income reports.
Last updated: February 26, 2026
Step-by-Step Guide
Check your current RPM in YouTube Analytics
Go to YouTube Studio > Analytics > Revenue tab. Look at your RPM figure, which shows your actual earnings per 1,000 views after YouTube's cut. Compare this to the niche benchmarks above.
Identify your audience geography
In Analytics > Audience > Top countries, check what percentage of your viewers are from the US. If less than 40% are US-based, your RPM will be significantly lower than the ranges listed here.
Evaluate niche-switching opportunities
If your current niche has low RPM, consider creating a second channel in a higher-paying niche. Many creators run a high-RPM educational channel alongside a lower-RPM entertainment channel.
Optimize for longer watch sessions
Longer videos with mid-roll ads significantly boost RPM. Aim for 10+ minute videos where appropriate. A 15-minute video can contain 2-3 mid-roll ads, roughly doubling the RPM compared to a 5-minute video with only pre-roll.
Track RPM trends monthly
Build a simple spreadsheet tracking your RPM each month. Note seasonal patterns — Q4 (October-December) typically shows 30-60% higher RPM due to holiday advertising budgets. Plan your best content for Q4 to maximize earnings.
What RPM means and why it varies by niche
RPM stands for Revenue Per Mille — the amount YouTube pays you per 1,000 video views after the platform takes its share. It differs from CPM (Cost Per Mille), which is what advertisers pay YouTube before the revenue split. Your RPM is roughly 55% of the CPM for your content, since YouTube keeps 45%.
RPM varies dramatically by niche because advertisers bid different amounts depending on the audience. A financial services company might pay $50+ CPM to reach people researching investment accounts, while a mobile game company might pay $2 CPM for entertainment viewers. According to Influencer Marketing Hub's 2025 benchmark report, the spread between the highest and lowest US niches is roughly 10x.
Other factors that affect RPM include viewer geography (a US viewer is worth 5-8x more than a viewer from Southeast Asia), video length (longer videos allow mid-roll ads), and seasonality (Q4 CPMs spike 30-60% due to holiday ad spending). This guide focuses specifically on US viewer RPMs across major content categories.
Tier 1: Highest-paying US niches ($15-$40+ RPM)
These niches consistently deliver the highest RPM for US creators:
Personal Finance & Investing: $20-$40+ RPM
Financial services advertisers — banks, brokerages, insurance companies — pay premium rates. Channels covering credit cards, stock investing, and tax planning routinely report $25-$40 RPM. Graham Stephan has publicly shared RPM figures in this range. The catch: competition is fierce, and viewers expect genuine expertise.
Business & Entrepreneurship: $15-$30 RPM
SaaS companies, business tools, and B2B services target this audience aggressively. Content about starting businesses, marketing strategies, and productivity tools earns well because the audience has high purchase intent.
Technology & Software: $15-$25 RPM
Tech review and tutorial channels benefit from advertisers selling devices, software subscriptions, and cloud services. MKBHD-style tech channels with US-heavy audiences typically see $15-$25 RPM on long-form content.
Legal & Real Estate: $20-$35 RPM
These are among the highest-CPM categories in Google Ads, and that carries over to YouTube. Channels covering real estate investing, legal explainers, and housing market analysis report some of the strongest RPMs on the platform.
Tier 2: Mid-range US niches ($6-$15 RPM)
These niches offer solid but not exceptional RPM:
Health & Fitness: $8-$15 RPM
Supplement companies, gym equipment brands, and health apps advertise here. Medical and health information channels tend toward the higher end. However, YouTube's health misinformation policies mean monetization can be inconsistent if content triggers review.
Education & How-To: $8-$15 RPM
Online course platforms (Coursera, Skillshare), tutoring services, and edtech companies pay well for this audience. Channels teaching coding, academic subjects, or professional skills fall here.
Food & Cooking: $6-$12 RPM
Food brands, kitchen equipment, and grocery delivery services target cooking audiences. Recipe channels with a US audience typically report $7-$10 RPM. Higher for specialized content like meal prep for specific diets.
Travel: $6-$12 RPM
Airlines, hotels, and travel booking platforms pay decent CPMs, though this niche is highly seasonal. Summer and holiday travel content earns more. Travel credit card content can push RPM significantly higher.
DIY & Home Improvement: $8-$14 RPM
Home Depot, Lowe's, and tool manufacturers are active advertisers. This niche tends to have very high purchase intent, which advertisers value.
Tier 3: Lower-RPM US niches ($2-$6 RPM)
These niches generate high view counts but lower per-view earnings:
Gaming: $2-$5 RPM
Despite being one of YouTube's largest categories, gaming RPM remains low because the audience skews younger and advertisers pay less to reach minors and young adults. According to a 2025 Epidemic Sound creator survey, the median US gaming channel RPM was $3.50. Exceptions exist for game review channels targeting adult gamers ($6-$10 RPM).
Entertainment & Comedy: $2-$5 RPM
Broad entertainment content attracts generic ads with lower CPMs. The volume can make up for low RPM — a comedy channel with 10M monthly views at $3 RPM still earns $30,000/month — but most channels do not reach that scale.
Music: $1-$3 RPM
Among the lowest RPMs on YouTube. Music content also faces Content ID claims that redirect revenue to rights holders. Original music creators fare somewhat better at $3-$5 RPM.
Vlogs & Lifestyle: $3-$6 RPM
General lifestyle content falls in a middle-low range. Beauty and fashion vlogs trend higher ($5-$8) due to cosmetics and fashion brand advertising, while daily vlogs without a specific niche tend to earn $3-$4 RPM.
The lesson: RPM is only half the equation. A gaming channel earning $3 RPM with 5M monthly views outearns a finance channel earning $30 RPM with 100K monthly views.
Pro Tips
- US viewers are worth 5-8x more than viewers from developing markets — tailor content and upload times to US audiences if maximizing RPM is your goal
- Q4 RPM is typically 30-60% higher than Q1 due to holiday ad spending — publish your best content in October through December
- Videos over 8 minutes allow mid-roll ads, which can effectively double your RPM compared to shorter videos with only pre-roll ads
- Original content without music claims keeps 100% of your ad revenue share, while videos with claimed music split revenue with rights holders
- RPM data on Social Blade and similar tools is estimated — your YouTube Analytics RPM figure is the only accurate number for your channel