Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Consulting in United States

See how your CPL compares. Explore lead generation cost benchmarks by industry, region, and campaign type

Cost Per Lead for Consulting in United States

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Facebook Ads cost per lead benchmarks — summary and key takeaways

This analysis looks at cost per lead trends for industry Consulting and target country United States compared to the global trend. The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.

  • Overall level: Consulting in the United States ran below market, averaging $32.49 versus the global average of $35.80 (about 9% lower).
  • Highs and lows: The US series peaked in May 2025 at $43.63 and bottomed in September 2025 at $18.87. Globally, the high was November 2024 at $41.58, with the same September 2025 low at $20.63.
  • Volatility: The US series was more volatile, with an average absolute month‑to‑month move of ~30.8% versus ~12.6% for the global baseline.
  • Trend over time: From September 2024 to September 2025, US Consulting CPL fell 41.9% (global fell 37.3%).
  • Seasonality: Both series show higher costs in Q4 (holiday periods) and a drop in January, with additional spring–summer spikes in the US series.

Consulting in the United States: what happened

  • Average CPL across the period: $32.49.
  • High: $43.63 (May 2025); secondary high $43.20 (July 2025).
  • Low: $18.87 (September 2025).
  • Range: $24.75 between high and low.
  • First-to-last change: down 41.9% from $32.46 (Sep 2024) to $18.87 (Sep 2025).
  • Volatility: large month-to-month swings (~30.8% on average).
  • Notable moves:
  • Q4 2024: Sep → Oct +13.4%, slight softening in Nov (−7.6%), then Dec +7.3%.
  • Sharp dip in January 2025 (−37.3% vs December).
  • Spring surges: Feb → Mar +51.5%; Apr → May +61.2%; Jun → Jul +48.4%.
  • Steep declines: May → Jun −33.3% and Aug → Sep 2025 −42.9%.

How the US Consulting trend compares to the global baseline

  • Level comparison:
  • Average: $32.49 (US Consulting) vs $35.80 (global). The US series is below market by ~$3.30 per lead.
  • Across 13 months, the US series was below the global median in 9 months and above in 4 (Oct 2024, Mar 2025, May 2025, Jul 2025).
  • Highs and lows:
  • US peak ($43.63 in May 2025) slightly exceeds the global peak ($41.58 in Nov 2024).
  • Both series hit their lowest point in September 2025 ($18.87 US; $20.63 global).
  • Volatility:
  • US volatility (~30.8% avg. absolute MoM change) clearly exceeds global (~12.6%), indicating more pronounced month-to-month swings in the US Consulting segment.
  • Seasonality alignment:
  • Global shows a classic Q4 rise (November high), then a January reset.
  • The US series follows the Q4 pattern but adds marked surges in March, May, and July, before a pronounced late-summer drop in September.

Seasonal patterns to watch

  • Costs typically increase in Q4 around holiday periods; both the US Consulting series and the global baseline reflect this.
  • Both series decline in January.
  • The US Consulting data shows additional spring and midsummer peaks (March, May, July) and a notable late-summer dip (September).

Understanding cost-per-lead benchmarks on Facebook Ads in Consulting and United States helps advertisers make more efficient budget and creative choices.

Understanding the Data

Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs

Facebook advertising costs vary based on many factors including industry, target audience, ad placement, and campaign objectives. In the Consulting industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. For campaigns targeting United States, advertisers often face higher costs due to high competition and purchasing power. Different campaign objectives lead to varying costs based on how Facebook optimizes for your specific goals. The data shown represents median values across multiple campaigns, and individual results may vary based on ad quality, audience targeting, and campaign optimization.

Why we use median instead of average

We use the median CTR because the underlying distribution of click-through rates is highly skewed, with a small share of campaigns achieving extremely high CTRs. These outliers can inflate a simple average, making it less representative of what most advertisers actually experience. By using the median—which sits at the midpoint of all campaigns—we provide a more rigorous and realistic benchmark that reflects the true underlying data model and helps you set attainable performance expectations.

Key Factors Affecting Facebook Ad Costs

  • Competition within your selected industry and audience demographics
  • Ad quality and relevance score – higher quality ads can lower costs
  • Campaign objective and bid strategy
  • Timing and seasonality – costs often increase during holiday periods
  • Ad placement (News Feed, Instagram, Audience Network, etc.)

Note: This data represents industry median values and benchmarks. Your actual costs may vary based on specific targeting, ad creative quality, and campaign optimization.

Optimize Smarter with Superads

Improve your Facebook ad performance

• Instant performance insights – See which ads, audiences, and creatives drive results.

• Data-driven creative decisions – Spot patterns to improve ROAS.

• Effortless reporting – No spreadsheets, just clear insights.

Get Started for free →

The data behind the benchmarks

All data is sourced from over $3B in Facebook ad spend, collected across thousands of ad accounts that use Superads daily to analyze and improve their campaigns. Every data point is fully anonymized and aggregated—no individual advertiser is ever exposed.

This dataset updates frequently as new ad data flows in. It will only get bigger and better.

United States Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Jan 20Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Feb 17Presidents' Day
May 26Memorial Day
Jun 19Juneteenth
Jul 4Independence Day
Sep 1Labor Day
Oct 13Columbus Day
Nov 11Veterans Day
Nov 27Thanksgiving Day
Dec 25Christmas Day

Key Shopping Season

Late November (Thanksgiving & Black Friday weekend), December (Christmas), Back-to-school (July–September), Summer travel season (Memorial Day onwards)

Potential Advertising Impact

CPM and CPC might rise around major holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, especially in travel and entertainment. Black Friday/Thanksgiving weekend triggers massive spikes in retail ad competition. December ad demand typically peaks—retail campaigns require significantly higher budgets. Back-to-school promotions drive increased competition. Juneteenth may see regional engagement rise.

What is considered a good cost per lead on Facebook in 2025?

A good CPL usually ranges from $10 to $50, depending on your industry and target audience. B2C offers tend to be cheaper, while B2B or high-ticket services may see CPLs over $100.

Why is my CPL higher than industry averages?

Your CPL could be high due to weak creative, irrelevant targeting, or an offer that doesn't resonate. Low engagement or poor conversion rates on your landing page can also drive up costs.

Does campaign objective impact CPL?

Yes. Campaigns optimized for conversions or leads tend to generate cheaper and more qualified leads compared to traffic or engagement objectives. Facebook needs clear signals to find the right users.

How can I generate leads at a lower cost without hurting lead quality?

Focus on improving your offer, targeting the right audience, and using high-converting creative. Test native lead forms, but make sure you're still qualifying users properly.

Should I optimize for leads or conversions if my goal is pipeline growth?

If your goal is sales or revenue, optimizing for deeper funnel conversions is better. Optimizing for leads alone can inflate volume but hurt quality.

Explore Facebook Ads Metrics

Discover detailed cost benchmarks for different Facebook advertising metrics:

CPC (Cost Per Click)

Average cost per click benchmarks across industries

CPM (Cost Per Mille)

Cost per thousand impressions across different markets

CTR (Click Through Rate)

Benchmark click-through rates for Facebook ads

Cost Per Lead

Cost per lead across different markets

Cost Per Purchase

Average cost per purchase benchmarks across industries

Cost Per App Install

See how much it costs to get users to install an app