YouTube CPM Calculator
Work out CPM from ad spend and impressions, then see what that CPM means for the creator once YouTube takes its share.
Inputs
Result
$8.00
CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions)
$2,200 across 275,000 monetised impressions is a CPM of $8.00. The creator keeps $1,210, which works out to an RPM of about $2.42.
- CPM
- $8.00
- Cost per impression
- $0.0080
- Creator payout
- $1,210
- Implied total views
- 500,000
- Creator RPM
- $2.42
Formula
- CPM = (ad spend ÷ monetised impressions) × 1,000
- creator payout = ad spend × revenue share
- total views = monetised impressions ÷ monetised playback rate
- RPM = (creator payout ÷ total views) × 1,000
Methodology
CPM is an advertiser-side metric: it prices a thousand ad impressions. YouTube reports both a raw CPM and a playback-based CPM, and the gap between them is the share of your views that never see an ad.
Converting CPM to creator income takes two steps — apply the 55% revenue share, then spread the result across all views rather than just monetised ones. That second step is what turns a $8 CPM into a $2-3 RPM.
Every figure here is an estimate. Real earnings move with your niche, audience country, season, advertiser demand and how a platform is paying that month, so treat the result as a planning range rather than a promise.
Example calculation
- Advertisers spent $2,200 against 275,000 monetised impressions.
- CPM: ($2,200 ÷ 275,000) × 1,000 = $8.00.
- Creator payout: $2,200 × 0.55 = $1,210.
- With a 55% monetised playback rate the video had about 500,000 total views, so RPM is $2.42.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good CPM on YouTube?
Across all niches $4-$12 is typical. Finance, insurance and software regularly exceed $20, while kids' content, music and gaming often sit under $4.
Why is my CPM high but my earnings low?
Because CPM only counts monetised impressions. If just a third of your views are monetised, a high CPM still spreads thinly across the rest of your traffic.
Which countries have the highest CPM?
The United States, Australia, Canada, the UK, Norway and Switzerland consistently top CPM tables. Audiences in countries with lower ad spend can produce a CPM several times smaller for identical content.
Does video length affect CPM?
Indirectly. Videos over eight minutes can carry mid-roll ads, which raises impressions per view and usually lifts overall earnings even if the CPM itself is unchanged.
Is CPM the same as what I get paid?
No. Subtract YouTube's 45% share and spread the rest over all views. RPM is the number you get paid on.
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