Facebook Ads CPM Benchmarks in United States

Introduction

United States CPMs sat consistently above the global benchmark in 2025, building steadily through the year, spiking into November, and then cooling sharply in December and early January. The rhythm is familiar: rising competition into Q4, a brief December reset, and a pronounced trough in January. Volatility was moderate for most of the year before widening dramatically in the final two months. 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 all industries in the United States compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

For all industries in the United States, Facebook Ads CPMs started 2025 at $20.41 and ended January 2026 at $17.12, a 16% decline from the starting point after a pronounced Q4 surge. The average CPM across the 13-month window was $22.20, with a high of $28.09 in November and a low of $17.12 in January 2026. Seven of the 13 months cleared $22, underscoring a broadly elevated cost environment for impressions.

Momentum built through the first three quarters: $20.96 in Q1, $21.95 in Q2, and $22.10 in Q3. The pace quickened in Q4, where CPMs averaged $25.49—about 15% higher than Q3 and 22% above Q1. November was the standout, lifting 38% from January levels. The climb peaked there before giving back 12% in December and another 30% heading into January 2026.

Month-to-month changes averaged $1.77, with relatively small steps for most of the year (often under $1.10) punctuated by larger moves late in the year: +$4.31 from October to November, −$3.47 into December, and −$7.49 into January 2026. That late-year whipsaw defines the volatility signature of this period.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

The CPM analysis shows a classic seasonal arc. Costs were steadier and lower in the first half, gradually rising into late summer. Q4 delivered the expected surge, with the November peak as the year’s high-water mark. December softened but remained elevated versus earlier quarters, and early Q1 (January 2026) registered the year’s lowest point. This cadence aligns with industry-wide competition and demand cycles often seen in Facebook Ads benchmarks, where performance typically tightens in Q4 and eases in early Q1.

United States vs. Global

Against the global baseline, the United States commanded a consistent premium. The U.S. averaged $22.20 versus the global $19.81—about 12% higher across the period. The global series followed a similar contour: a November high ($25.22) and a January 2026 low ($15.74), with an average month-to-month change of $1.63. That places U.S. volatility modestly above global levels (roughly 9% more choppy).

The gap stayed positive in every month, typically 9–16% above the global CPM. The narrowest spread came in January 2026 (about 9% higher than global), while February showed one of the widest premiums (around 16%). Both markets accelerated into Q4 and then retrenched, but the United States held a consistent “above market” position throughout, reflecting higher country-specific ad costs for impressions.

Closing

In short, Facebook Ads CPM benchmarks for all industries in the United States remained consistently above global levels, rising steadily through 2025, peaking in November, and resetting sharply into January. Understanding this CPM analysis for the United States helps quantify country-specific ad costs and compare industry ad performance to global patterns.