YouTube Statistics & Benchmarks
Real niche CPM rates, engagement benchmarks, optimal upload times, and video length data based on our research.
Niche RPM Rates (2026)
RPM (Revenue Per Mille) is what you earn per 1,000 views after YouTube's 45% cut. Your actual earnings depend on audience location, season, and video length.
| Niche | RPM Range | Avg RPM | Avg Views | Competition | Best Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Making Money Online | $15-$30 | $22 | 5K-50K | High | 10-20 min |
| Personal Finance | $10-$25 | $18 | 3K-30K | High | 8-15 min |
| Digital Marketing | $8-$20 | $14 | 3K-25K | High | 10-20 min |
| Tech Reviews | $8-$15 | $12 | 5K-40K | High | 8-15 min |
| Educational / How-To | $5-$15 | $10 | 2K-20K | Medium | 8-20 min |
| Business / Entrepreneurship | $8-$18 | $13 | 3K-25K | Medium | 10-20 min |
| Software Development | $6-$15 | $10 | 2K-20K | Medium | 15-30 min |
| Health & Fitness | $5-$12 | $8 | 5K-50K | High | 8-15 min |
| Lifestyle / Vlogs | $3-$8 | $5 | 10K-100K | High | 8-15 min |
| Gaming | $1-$5 | $3 | 10K-100K | Very High | 15-30 min |
| Entertainment | $2-$6 | $4 | 20K-200K | Very High | 8-15 min |
| Music | $1-$4 | $2.5 | 50K-500K | Very High | 3-8 min |
| ASMR | $2-$8 | $5 | 20K-100K | Medium | 30-60 min |
| Cooking / Food | $4-$10 | $7 | 5K-50K | High | 8-15 min |
| Travel | $3-$8 | $5 | 5K-30K | Medium | 10-20 min |
Key Insight: Finance/business niches earn 5-10x more per view but have higher competition and smaller audiences. Gaming/entertainment have lower RPM but massive audience potential. Choose your niche based on both passion AND profit potential.
Performance Benchmarks
Use these benchmarks to evaluate your performance. Compare against your own past videos rather than others—improvement over time matters most.
| Metric | Poor | Average | Good | Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Click-Through Rate (CTR) | < 2% | 2-5% | 5-10% | > 10% |
| Average View Duration | < 25% | 25-40% | 40-55% | > 55% |
| Engagement Rate | < 3% | 3-7% | 7-12% | > 12% |
| Subscriber Conversion | < 1% | 1-3% | 3-6% | > 6% |
| Session Time % | < 20% | 20-35% | 35-50% | > 50% |
Best Upload Times by Niche
Gaming
Weekends 10am-10pm, Weekdays 3pm-10pm
Students and gamers online after school/work
Business / Finance
Weekdays 6am-9am, 12pm-2pm, 6pm-8pm
Commuting and lunch breaks
Educational
Weekdays 8am-10am, 6pm-9pm, Weekends 9am-12pm
Learning before/after work, weekend mornings
Entertainment / Vlogs
Weekdays 7pm-10pm, Weekends 10am-10pm
Relaxation after work, weekend leisure
Tech
Weekdays 12pm-2pm, 6pm-9pm, Weekends 10am-2pm
Lunch breaks, weekend research time
Fitness
Weekdays 5am-8am, 6pm-8pm, Weekends 8am-11am
Morning workouts, after-work exercise
Important: Upload time matters less than content quality. These times are when YOUR audience is most active. Test different times and use your analytics to find what works for your specific channel.
Ideal Video Length by Niche
Tutorials
10-20 minutesComprehensive coverage without fluff
Reviews
8-15 minutesDetailed analysis, pros/cons
Gaming
15-30+ minutesGameplay depth, audience wants longer content
Vlogs
8-15 minutesEntertainment sweet spot, maintains attention
Educational
10-25 minutesThorough explanations, examples
List Videos
10-15 minutesCover items without losing interest
News / Updates
5-10 minutesTimely, concise delivery
Interviews
20-45 minutesConversation depth, multiple topics
Typical Timeline to Key Milestones
0 to 100 Subs
Consistent uploads, engaging with community, finding your content style
100 to 1,000 Subs
Content optimization, understanding analytics, building content library
1K to 10K Subs
Refined strategy, consistent quality, audience understanding, collaboration
Note: These timelines assume 2-3 uploads per week with improving quality. Faster is possible with viral content, slower with inconsistent uploads. Most creators reach monetization in 6-12 months.
Use These Stats to Grow Faster
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