What Is YouTube RPM?
YouTube RPM (revenue per mille) is the total-revenue-per-thousand-views figure YouTube Studio reports for a channel, combining ad revenue, memberships, Super Chat, Super Thanks, and Premium revenue share, divided across every view — including ones that weren't monetized with ads at all.
It's the most complete single number for “how much does this channel earn per view,” which is why creators track it as their headline monetization metric ahead of the narrower YouTube CPM.
YouTube RPM Formula
Divide total channel revenue by total views, then multiply by 1,000.
YouTube RPM = (Total Revenue ÷ Total Views) × 1,000
Worked Example
A channel earns $2,400 in total revenue from 800,000 views in a month.
YouTube RPM = ($2,400 ÷ 800,000) × 1,000 = $3.00
What Affects YouTube RPM?
- Ad-eligible content share — content flagged as limited or unsuitable for ads pulls down the blended RPM across all views.
- Non-ad revenue — memberships, Super Chat, and Super Thanks all lift RPM independent of ad demand.
- Niche and geography — the same factors that drive CPM also drive RPM, since ad revenue is one component of it.
- Unmonetized view share — a channel with a larger share of unmonetized views (blocked ads, no ad demand) sees RPM diluted relative to its CPM.
YouTube RPM Calculator FAQ
How is YouTube RPM calculated?
YouTube RPM is calculated by dividing total channel revenue by total views, then multiplying by 1,000: YouTube RPM = (Total Revenue ÷ Total Views) × 1,000. Enter your revenue and views above to calculate it instantly.
What counts as "total revenue" for YouTube RPM?
Everything YouTube Studio reports as channel revenue — ad revenue, channel memberships, Super Chat, Super Thanks, and YouTube Premium revenue share — not ad revenue alone. That's what distinguishes RPM from CPM, which counts ad revenue only.
Why is my RPM always lower than my CPM?
RPM divides by total views, including views that generated no ad revenue at all, while CPM divides only by monetized playbacks. Since the denominator is larger for RPM and the numerator (ad revenue alone vs. total revenue) isn't proportionally larger, RPM comes out lower for the same channel.
How can I raise my YouTube RPM?
Increase ad-eligible content (avoiding demonetization triggers), diversify into memberships or Super Thanks, target a niche or audience geography with higher advertiser demand, and favor longer videos that support mid-roll ads where appropriate for the content.