Free calculator · YouTube
YouTube money calculator
How much YouTube pays for your views, from RPM measured on real channels by niche, or from your own RPM if you're already monetized. Long-form and Shorts are worked out separately, because they pay very differently.
Long-form RPM $1.00–$5.00, middle half of channels · Shorts RPM $0.07–$0.20 per 1,000 views
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Why niche matters so much
Advertisers pay more to reach viewers who are about to spend, so RPM follows the money behind a topic. In AIR Media-Tech's data the middle half of education and science channels earned $2.31 to $19.50 per 1,000 views, while kids' content earned a fraction of that.
Ad revenue only starts once you're in the YouTube Partner Program: check how close you are with the monetization checker. Most creators earn more from sponsorships than from ads, which the influencer pricing calculator covers.
Where these numbers come from
- 1.AIR Media-Tech: How much does YouTube really pay in 2026? Real RPM data from 300 channels (updated July 2026)YouTube Studio data from 300 channels, May 2025 to May 2026. Ranges are the middle half of channels (25th to 75th percentile).
- 2.AIR Media-Tech: YouTube Shorts RPM vs long-form (updated September 2026)274 channels across 13 niches.
- 3.vidIQ: How much does YouTube pay per view? (April 2026)No method stated.
- 4.YouTube Help: YouTube partner earnings overview
Checked October 2026. Spot something out of date? Tell us on the contact page and we'll update it.
Questions creators ask
+How much does YouTube pay per 1,000 views?
It depends on the niche. Across 300 channels AIR Media-Tech measured a median RPM of $2.30 per 1,000 views; education & science was highest at a $10.22 median. vidIQ says most creators earn $1–$5.
+How much do YouTube Shorts pay?
Far less per view: AIR found Shorts RPM between $0.07 and $0.20 per 1,000 views in most niches.
+What is the difference between RPM and CPM?
CPM is what advertisers pay per 1,000 ad impressions. RPM is what you earn per 1,000 views after YouTube’s share, counting views with no ads too, so it is the number to use for your earnings.
+What share of ad revenue does YouTube give creators?
Creators keep 55% of net ad revenue on long-form videos. On Shorts they get 45% of the revenue allocated to them from a shared pool, not 45% of the ads on their own Shorts.
Keep going
- YouTube monetization checkerHow close a channel is to the YouTube Partner Program, tier by tier.
- Influencer pricing calculatorWhat a sponsored post is worth by platform, followers and engagement.
- TikTok money calculatorCreator Rewards earnings from qualified views.
- Media kit templateA one-page media kit layout brands read in 30 seconds.
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