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Facebook Ads Cost Per Purchase Benchmarks for Education in Australia

See how your purchase costs compare. Explore ecommerce conversion cost benchmarks by industry, region, and campaign type

Cost Per Purchase for Education in Australia

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • Based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks, Facebook Ads cost-per-purchase in Education for Australia was generally below the global trend for most of the year, but ended with an extreme spike in September.
  • Overall average for Australia (Education) was above the global baseline due to that spike (55.90 vs 47.82), yet from October through August it sat clearly below market (40.62 vs 49.24, about 17% lower).
  • Seasonality is visible: costs lifted into December, dipped in June, and rebounded in July. The global series also rose into December and softened steadily into late summer, with a marked drop in September.
  • Volatility was high in Australia (median month-to-month change ~21.8%; average skewed by September), versus a steady global baseline (median ~2.4%).

What this analysis covers

This analysis looks at cost-per-purchase trends for industry Education and target country Australia compared to the global trend. We summarize monthly medians, highlight highs/lows and volatility, and position Australia against the global baseline.

Australia (Education): trend highlights

  • Average across the period: 55.90
  • Note: this is inflated by September. Excluding September, the average is 40.62.
  • High: 223.92 in September (sharp spike)
  • Low: 26.46 in June
  • First-to-last month change: +564% (from 33.73 in October to 223.92 in September), driven entirely by September.
  • Volatility:
  • Median month-to-month absolute change: ~21.8%
  • Largest monthly moves:
  • December jump (+51% vs November)
  • April surge (+49% vs March)
  • June trough (-54% vs May)
  • September spike (+465% vs August)
  • Seasonality and pattern:
  • Costs rose into December (holiday period), eased through February–March, dipped to a yearly low in June, rebounded in July, and spiked abnormally in September.

Global baseline: context

  • Average across the period: 47.82
  • High: 53.89 in February
  • Low: 32.29 in September
  • First-to-last month change: -31% (steady softening over the year, with the largest monthly drop in September)
  • Volatility: median month-to-month absolute change ~2.4% (average ~7.0%), indicating a stable global backdrop compared with Australia’s variability.

Australia vs global: positioning

  • Overall average: Australia 55.90 vs global 47.82 (+16.9% above market). This headline is skewed by September’s spike.
  • October–August comparison (to remove the September distortion):
  • Australia: 40.62 vs global 49.24 (about 17% below market).
  • Month-by-month positioning:
  • Below global in most months: October, November, December, January, February, March, April (near parity), June, and August.
  • Above global in May (+13.7%) and July (+9.6%).
  • September was an extreme outlier: +594% above the global median.
  • Seasonal alignment:
  • Both series climbed into December.
  • Global costs drifted down into late summer and fell sharply in September; Australia mirrored the early-year rise but diverged sharply with a September spike.

Understanding cost-per-purchase benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Education and Australia 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 Education industry, Facebook ad costs can be moderate, with higher costs for professional and specialized courses. For campaigns targeting Australia, advertisers typically see good engagement rates despite moderate costs. 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.

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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.

Australia Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Jan 27Australia Day (observed)
Apr 18‑21Easter weekend
Apr 25Anzac Day
Jun 9King's Birthday
Oct 6Labour Day
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Boxing Day

Key Shopping Season

Late December (Christmas and Boxing Day), Early December (Cyber Monday), January (Back-to-school), May (Mother's Day)

Potential Advertising Impact

Ad costs could spike around major holidays, especially Easter, Anzac Day, and Christmas. Increased budgets and earlier scheduling may be necessary. Retailers should consider planning promotions around back-to-school and Mother's Day to maximize campaign effectiveness.

What's a healthy cost per purchase for ecommerce brands?

It depends on your product price and margins. Most brands aim for $10 to $50. For higher-ticket products, a higher CPA may be acceptable as long as you're maintaining a strong return on ad spend.

How does product price impact CPA benchmarks?

Higher-priced products typically have a higher CPA because people take longer to convert. That's not necessarily a problem if your margin can support it. You should measure CPA in context with AOV and LTV.

Why are my purchase costs going up despite stable ROAS?

Your AOV may be increasing, which helps maintain ROAS even if CPA rises. You could also be facing higher CPMs, lower conversion rates, or creative fatigue.

Should I use manual bidding to control CPA more effectively?

Manual bidding can help if you're struggling to stay within target CPA. It's best used by experienced advertisers who can monitor performance and adjust regularly. It gives more control, but also requires more effort.

How do I scale spend without letting CPA skyrocket?

Increase budget gradually, rotate creative often, and avoid overlapping audiences. Scaling too quickly can lead to audience saturation and rising CPAs.