Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Education

Introduction

Across all countries, Education’s Facebook Ads cost-per-lead (CPL) ran materially below the global all‑industry benchmark in 2025, yet moved with a similar seasonal rhythm: softer in Q1, building through summer, peaking in early Q4, and easing into November. The standout moments were a sharp May lift, an October high, and an unusually steep drop in January 2026 that broke the prior trend line. This analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks. This analysis explores ad performance trends for Education across all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Education CPL started 2025 at $15.00 and ended December at $21.57, a 44% rise across the year. The monthly median averaged $19.27, ranging from a low of $13.83 in March to a high of $23.87 in October—a spread of about $10. The most pronounced month-to-month moves were a May surge (+$7.34 vs. April, +48%) and a November pullback (−$4.39 vs. October, −18%). Typical month-to-month volatility averaged $3.07, or about 16% of the yearly average, indicating noticeable but not erratic swings.

By quarter, Education CPL averaged roughly $15.5 in Q1, $18.4 in Q2, and about $21.6 in both Q3 and Q4—steady gains from early-year softness to peak acquisition costs in the fall. January 2026 marked an abrupt break: CPL fell to $0.81, a 96% decline from December and far outside the prior 12‑month range.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

The 2025 rhythm was clear. Q1 was the trough (March at $13.83), followed by a spring acceleration capped by May’s jump. Summer months (July–September) held a higher plateau around the low $20s, leading to the October high at $23.87. Costs softened in November and partially rebounded in December, consistent with year-end dynamics where auction pressure can fluctuate. The January 2026 collapse diverged from the established pattern, contrasting with the more typical early‑year dip seen broadly in the market.

Education vs. Global

Compared with the global all‑industry baseline, Education’s CPL averaged $19.27 in 2025 versus $41.53 globally—about 54% lower. The gap persisted throughout the year: Education CPLs trailed global levels by 42% to 60% each month. The narrowest gap appeared in May (−42% vs. global), while November marked the widest (−60%). Both series climbed into Q3–Q4—global costs rose from $35.04 in January to an October high of $48.83 (+39%)—but Education’s percentage swings were larger. In dollar terms, monthly volatility was similar (Education $3.07 vs. global $3.13), yet on a relative basis Education was over twice as volatile (16% vs. 8%). In January 2026, the baseline eased to $34.46 (−18% vs. December), while Education dropped to $0.81—about 98% below the global figure for the month.

Closing

Taken together, these Facebook Ads benchmarks show Education’s cost-per-lead trends across all countries: consistently below the global all‑industry level, with clear Q3–Q4 firmness, a pronounced May lift, and a singular January 2026 trough. For teams comparing CPL performance and country-specific ad costs within broader industry ad performance, this provides a grounded reference alongside CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance for the Education industry worldwide.