Last reviewed: April 23, 2026 by Mike Holp

YouTube Creator Benchmarks (2026): CPM, RPM, CTR & Retention

This benchmark table summarizes observed range bands for CPM, RPM, CTR, and retention across common creator niches. Use these values for directional planning, not as guarantees, and pair them with the related tools when you want to test a specific idea. CTR and retention are the fastest signals to compare when packaging or pacing changes are the question.

Thumbnail CTR benchmark

Use the thumbnail CTR predictor when you want to compare packaging ideas before publishing. CTR benchmarks are most useful when the topic is strong but the click rate is lagging the niche.

Open the CTR predictor See thumbnail testing

Audience retention benchmark

Use the channel health score and glossary together to interpret retention against your niche. Retention benchmarks are most useful when you need to decide whether a hook, pacing change, or format shift is working.

Open the health score Review retention terms

Niche	Typical CPM	Typical RPM	Retention (avg view)
Finance	$18 - $35	$7 - $15	38% - 52%
Business / SaaS	$14 - $28	$5 - $12	35% - 48%
Education	$10 - $22	$4 - $10	40% - 55%
Tech	$9 - $20	$3 - $9	34% - 47%
Gaming	$4 - $12	$1.5 - $5	32% - 44%
Entertainment	$3 - $10	$1 - $4	30% - 42%

Methodology

Ranges represent anonymized percentile bands, not individual channel snapshots.
Only channels with stable upload cadence and monetization history are included.
Values are refreshed monthly with seasonality adjustments.
Outliers and one-off viral spikes are trimmed before aggregation.

Full definitions and caveats: Methodology page.

Primary Sources