Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for HR & Staffing

Introduction

HR & Staffing shows a tale of two markets in 2025: unusually low cost per lead through the first half, a dramatic late‑summer surge, and a softer, sub‑benchmark finish into Q4. Compared to the global, all‑industry baseline, HR & Staffing across all countries spent much of the year below market—then briefly swung far above it in August and September before easing back down.

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 in all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Across 2025, HR & Staffing CPL averaged $34.20, versus a $41.53 global all‑industry average. The year opened at $6.41 in January and closed at $17.28 in December—up roughly 170% from start to finish, but still well under the global December level ($42.24).

The low came in July at $4.23, capping a seven‑month stretch where CPL remained inexpensive ($13.74 average from January–July). The peak arrived abruptly: $118.29 in August and $124.45 in September—the year’s high—before a reset to $10.29 in October. November ($43.87) briefly approached the market, and December slipped to $17.28.

Volatility was the defining feature. Month‑to‑month absolute movement averaged $31.60, driven by +$114 jumps in both July→August and September→October. By contrast, the global baseline moved just $3.13 on average month‑to‑month, a far steadier pattern that rose gradually through the year.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

The rhythm splits clearly:

• Q1–Q2: Low and relatively stable CPLs ($4–$28 range), with March–April mid‑$20s briefly interrupting the run of single‑digit months.
• July trough: The annual low lands at $4.23.
• Late‑summer spike: August–September surge to $118–$124 stands out as the defining swing of the year.
• Q4 recalibration: October falls back to $10.29; November lifts to $43.87; December eases to $17.28.

While the global benchmark typically tightens into Q4—reflecting broader competition that pushes CPM analysis and CPC trends upward—HR & Staffing’s CPL spike arrived earlier, then cooled as the year ended.

Country vs. Global

Relative to the global all‑industry baseline, HR & Staffing across all countries:

• Undershot the market January–July by 29% to 90% each month (deepest gap in July).
• Flipped above market in August (+173%) and September (+157%), outpacing the benchmark at its widest.
• Narrowed the gap in November to just 9% below the baseline—the closest convergence of the year.
• Averaged 18% below the market across the year ($34.20 vs. $41.53).

Trajectory differs, too. The global benchmark climbed a steady ~21% from January to December. HR & Staffing ended higher (+170% from January to December), but that ascent was concentrated in a brief late‑summer surge rather than a consistent build.

Closing

Taken together, these Facebook Ads benchmarks show a highly volatile cost per lead profile for HR & Staffing across all countries: deeply discounted in H1, sharply elevated in late summer, and subdued again in Q4 relative to the market. Understanding cost per lead trends within HR & Staffing, and how they diverge from the global baseline, helps anchor country‑specific ad costs and industry ad performance comparisons alongside broader CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance patterns.