Guide
youtube shortsusa monetizationshorts revenue2026YouTube Shorts Monetization USA 2026: How Much Do US Creators Earn?
US YouTube Shorts creators earn 5-10x more per view than creators in India or Southeast Asia. Here's exactly how much US creators earn from Shorts monetization, what it takes to qualify, and how to maximize your Shorts income in 2026.
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YouTube Shorts Monetization USA: 2026 Earnings Rates
YouTube Shorts RPM in the USA by niche (2026): Finance/Business = $0.08-0.15 per 1,000 views. Tech = $0.06-0.12 per 1,000 views. Education = $0.05-0.10 per 1,000 views. Lifestyle = $0.03-0.07 per 1,000 views. Gaming = $0.02-0.05 per 1,000 views. Entertainment = $0.02-0.04 per 1,000 views. USA rates are 5-10x higher than India because US advertisers pay premium CPMs.
YouTube Shorts Monetization Requirements in 2026
To monetize YouTube Shorts in the USA in 2026, you need YouTube Partner Program membership: 500+ subscribers AND (3,000 watch hours in 90 days OR 3 million Shorts views in 90 days) AND channel must be in good standing. Once in YPP, ALL your Shorts automatically earn from revenue sharing — you earn 45% of ad revenue from ads shown between your Shorts in the feed.
How Much Does a US Creator Earn from YouTube Shorts?
Real US YouTube Shorts earnings examples: 1M views/month at $0.06 RPM = $60/month. 10M views/month at $0.06 RPM = $600/month. 100M views/month at $0.06 RPM = $6,000/month. Shorts-only income is low — the real strategy is using Shorts to grow a subscriber base that drives long-form video views where you earn 50-100x more per view.
YouTube Shorts vs Long-Form: US Income Comparison
For US creators: 1M Shorts views/month at $0.06 RPM = $60/month. 100K long-form views/month at $12 RPM = $1,200/month. Long-form pays 20x more per view. Top US strategy: post Shorts daily to grow fast (Shorts get more reach), funnel viewers to long-form for real income. A channel doing 10M Shorts views + 500K long-form views/month earns $600 + $6,000 = $6,600/month.