Social Media

YouTube Earnings Calculator

What this does

Estimate monthly and yearly YouTube ad revenue from view counts and an editable RPM figure.

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Calculator inputs

How to use it

Using the youtube earnings calculator

  1. 01

    Enter realistic monthly views

    Use your trailing 28-day average rather than your best month ever.

  2. 02

    Set your actual RPM

    YouTube Studio’s Revenue report shows your exact RPM; using it beats any default guess.

  3. 03

    Read both horizons

    The yearly projection assumes flat views; seasonal channels should mentally discount it.

Good to know

RPM is the only honest dial

CPM headlines get clicks, but creators bank RPM, which nets out YouTube’s share and unmonetized views. Two channels with identical CPM niches can still see RPMs differ 3–5× based on audience geography and watch time.

Niche moves money more than views

Personal finance and B2B audiences command premium advertiser bids; RPMs of $15+ happen; while gaming and entertainment often sit below $2. A smaller channel in a rich niche routinely out-earns a bigger one in a cheap niche.

Ads are half the business

Successful channels layer sponsorships, affiliate income, memberships and products on top of AdSense. For most full-time creators, ad revenue is the minority stake; this calculator prices only the ads slice.

How it's calculated

The math behind this calculator

Monthly earnings = views ÷ 1000 × RPM Yearly earnings = monthly × 12

RPM; revenue per mille; is what a channel actually banks per thousand views after YouTube’s 45% cut, and it already folds in monetized playback rates and ad mix. Multiplying your views by RPM converts traffic into revenue directly.

Assumptions & limitations

  • Views are monetizable long-form views; Shorts pay at far lower effective RPMs.
  • Channel is monetized; eligibility requires 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours.
  • RPM defaults to $3 as a mid-range guess; your analytics show your true number.

Worked example

A channel pulling 100,000 monthly views at a $3.00 RPM earns about $300 per month; roughly $3,600 across a year at steady traffic.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What RPM do YouTubers actually earn?
Commonly anywhere from about $0.50 to $15+ per thousand views depending on niche, geography and format. Finance, tech and real estate sit high; entertainment and kids content sit low. Check YouTube Studio for yours.
Do Shorts views earn the same?
No; Shorts monetize through a separate pooled fund and effectively pay a fraction of long-form RPM. Enter long-form views here for sensible results.
When does YouTube start paying?
After joining the Partner Program (1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 public watch hours or 10M Shorts views in the past year) and crossing each $100 payout threshold.

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