See how your CPL compares. Explore lead generation cost benchmarks by industry, region, and campaign type
November 2024 - November 2025
Detailed observation of presented data
HR & Staffing leads got dramatically cheaper than the market for most of the year, then surged late. Across all countries, Cost per Lead (CPL) for HR & Staffing started high in November 2024, plunged into single digits by mid-2025, and then spiked back to a near annual high in November 2025. Compared to the global benchmark across all industries, HR & Staffing CPLs ran well below market throughout the year, with one notable exception in November 2025.
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 HR & Staffing across all countries compared to the global benchmark.
HR & Staffing CPL opened at $37.88 in November 2024 and closed at $38.76 in November 2025, a modest +2% year-over-year lift. The annual average was $17.08, far below the global all-industry average of $39.83. The high point arrived in November 2025 ($38.76); the low was July 2025 ($3.44), creating a wide $35 spread. From the July low to November’s peak, CPL expanded more than 11x.
Month-to-month movement was choppy. December 2024 slipped from November (−$4.15), January 2025 reset sharply to $5.49, February rebounded to $28.65, and March–April normalized in the low $20s. A second leg down followed: May ($4.29), June ($4.63), and July ($3.44) clustered at the floor. August and September rebuilt gradually ($6.07 → $11.29), October dipped ($4.23), and November snapped higher ($38.76). Average absolute volatility was $11.21 per month—about 2.6x more volatile than the global benchmark ($4.23).
The rhythm inverted typical seasonality. Q4 2024 was elevated (Nov–Dec average ~$35.80). Q1 2025 split: a deep January trough followed by partial recoveries in February–March (quarter average ~$18.36). Q2 2025 turned soft again, averaging ~$10.55 as CPLs hovered near single digits. Q3 2025 was the softest run (average ~$6.93), a slow rebuild from July’s low. Early Q4 2025 opened weak in October, then November leapt to the year’s top tier, contrasting with the usual pattern where Q4 competition often lifts costs more steadily.
Globally, the benchmark climbed steadily from January through September (roughly mid-$30s to high-$40s), then eased in November. HR & Staffing diverged: prolonged mid-year softness and a late-year spike, not a gradual Q4 build.
Across all countries, HR & Staffing CPL undercut the global all-industry benchmark by an average of 57%. The gap was relatively narrow at the start (November–December 2024: 9–15% below). It widened dramatically mid-year: January 2025 was 85% below global levels; from May to October, HR & Staffing trailed by 76–92% each month (May: −90%, June: −89%, July: −92%, October: −91%). The only month above market was November 2025, when HR & Staffing CPL exceeded the benchmark by 36% ($38.76 vs. $28.58). Directionally, the global trend rose through Q3 (+33% from January to September), while HR & Staffing rebounded from a very low base (+105% January to September) but remained well below market until November.
Taken together, these Facebook Ads benchmarks show a year of extremes: unusually low mid-year CPLs for HR & Staffing across all countries and a sharp late-year surge, all against a steadier global baseline. Understanding Cost per Lead benchmarks for HR & Staffing across all countries helps marketers interpret industry ad performance, evaluate country-specific ad costs in context, and compare CPL trends to global patterns.
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 HR & Staffing industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. Geographic targeting affects ad costs based on market competition and user engagement in different regions. 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.
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.
Note: This data represents industry median values and benchmarks. Your actual costs may vary based on specific targeting, ad creative quality, and campaign optimization.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If your goal is sales or revenue, optimizing for deeper funnel conversions is better. Optimizing for leads alone can inflate volume but hurt quality.
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