2026 U.S. Media CPM Benchmark Report
Reach Goes Further
With Less
A defensible, source-backed comparison of advertising cost per thousand impressions
across all major U.S. media channels — and why transit and out-of-home remain the
most efficient ways to put a message in front of real people.
Top Takeaways
This report benchmarks cost per thousand impressions (CPM) across every major U.S. media
channel using the most current industry data available — drawing on the same Solomon Partners
methodology that has long set the standard for cross-media comparison, refreshed with 2025–2026
figures from more than 40 primary and secondary sources. The conclusion is straightforward:
out-of-home and transit advertising remain among the most cost-efficient
media available to American advertisers, delivering real human impressions at a fraction
of the cost of digital or broadcast equivalents.
1
Transit Is The Value Leader
Bus advertising averages $3 CPM and transit shelters average $5 CPM —
dramatically below the $45 average for broadcast primetime TV and the $85 average
for newspaper ads.
2
Print Is The Cost Outlier
Newspaper CPMs now average near $85, with major-metro dailies running
$150–$500. Collapsing paid circulation against firm rate cards has pushed print to the
top of the cost stack.
3
CTV Split In Two
Connected TV now bifurcates into standard AVOD/FAST inventory ($15–$40 CPM) and
premium direct buys on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu ($35–$65 CPM).
4
Retail Media Arrives
Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Kroger networks moved retail media to the
#3 digital ad channel — yet it commands $20–$60 CPMs, a premium
reflecting first-party purchase intent data.
5
Radio Stays Cheap
Terrestrial radio averages roughly $7 CPM — one of the most stable
and efficient mass-reach channels in U.S. media, per Westwood One's 2026 analysis.
6
OOH Impressions Are Real
Unlike digital (where nearly half of web traffic is non-human, blocked, or unviewed),
1,000 OOH impressions equal ~1,000 real people. The CPM gap narrows
sharply when you measure actual humans reached.
15×
Cheaper Than Primetime TV
28×
Cheaper Than Newspaper
2026 CPM Landscape
Every major U.S. media category, ordered from most expensive to most efficient.
The bar shows the typical range; the dot marks the 2026 average CPM.
U.S. Media CPM Benchmark — 2026
Ranges reflect typical U.S. buys; dot = category average. All figures in USD.
"
Bulletin, poster, and transit shelter CPMs remain a fraction of broadcast, cable,
streaming, and podcast rates — delivering comparable reach without the digital tax
of ad blocking, fraud, or fleeting view times.
— Adsposure analysis of Solomon Partners 2025 data
Television & Streaming
Broadcast and cable primetime have quietly become premium buys — their CPMs have risen
even as total reach has declined, because the denominator (audience) is shrinking faster
than the numerator (ad budgets). CTV has fractured into two very different tiers.
Broadcast primetime CPM settled at $43.50 for the
2024-25 upfront, with 2026 benchmarks placing premium primetime at $40–$60.
Linear TV remains a premium buy, with audience fragmentation pushing per-viewer
cost steadily upward.
- Broadcast Ex-Primetime: $12 / $20 / $32 — Day, early, late
- Broadcast Primetime: $35 / $45 / $60 — 8–11pm major networks
- Cable Ex-Primetime: $8 / $13 / $19 — Off-peak cable spots
- Cable Primetime: $15 / $20 / $28 — Primetime cable networks
The Audience Math
Audience fragmentation means each remaining primetime viewer now costs more — total ad
spend has held roughly flat while the audience denominator has continued to shrink.
Linear TV Range
30-second spot CPM, U.S. national
Connected TV operates as two distinct tiers in 2026. Standard AVOD/FAST inventory
across Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and the broader streaming ecosystem
runs $15–$40 CPM, while premium direct buys on the biggest platforms command
$45–$65 CPM.
- CTV Standard (AVOD/FAST): $15 / $25 / $40 — Tubi, Pluto, Hulu programmatic, Peacock
- CTV Premium (Direct): $35 / $50 / $65 — Netflix direct, Amazon Prime, premium sports
CTV Two-Tier Split
AVOD/FAST vs. Premium Direct Buys
Audio, Radio & Podcasts
Radio remains one of the most stable and efficient mass-reach channels in America.
Podcasts, meanwhile, have bifurcated dramatically — programmatic is cheap while
top-tier host-read advertising has become a premium buy.
Westwood One's 2026 analysis pegs radio's average CPM at
$4.78 across the top 50 U.S. markets.
Solomon Partners' benchmark confirms a $7 median. Radio is the quiet winner
for efficient reach — especially during morning and afternoon drive time.
- Terrestrial Radio: $4 / $7 / $12 — AM/FM spot and network
- Streaming Audio: $10 / $20 / $35 — Spotify, Pandora, iHeart
IAB projects U.S. podcast ad revenue crossing $3 billion
in 2026. Market rates span programmatic ($5–$15) through host-read mid-roll
($25–$40) to premium top-100 shows ($60–$120).
- Podcasts (blended): $18 / $28 / $50 — Market-weighted average
- Top-100 outliers: $60–$120 — Joe Rogan, SmartLess, Crime Junkie tier
Audio Channel Efficiency
Average CPM per category — lower bar = more efficient reach
Online & Digital
Digital advertising is now the broadest and most fragmented category in the benchmark,
spanning programmatic display, social platforms, retail media networks, and video across
mobile and desktop. Social media accounts for roughly 38% of global ad spend, retail media
is the third-largest digital channel, and video CPMs vary widely by platform and placement.
Mobile Display
$2.50
Avg CPM — but 42.7% ad-blocker rate
General Display
$3
Avg CPM — banner blindness a challenge
Social Media
$12
Avg blended (LinkedIn up to $45)
Transit Shelter
$5
100% human, no ad blockers, physical
Digital Channel Breakdown — 2026
Low / Average / High CPM by digital ad category
The New 2026 Entries
- Social Media: $5 / $12 / $45 — TikTok cheapest, LinkedIn highest
- Retail Media Networks: $20 / $35 / $60 — Amazon, Walmart, Target, Kroger
The Digital Tax
Nearly half of web traffic is non-human, blocked, or served below the fold.
A $3 digital CPM paying for ~500 real views lands at an effective $6 CPM —
still competitive, but much closer to OOH than the headline number suggests.
Digital "Effective" CPM
Adjusted for typical 45-50% viewability loss
Out of Home & Transit
This is the story Adsposure tells every day. Out-of-home advertising — and transit in
particular — delivers real human impressions at CPMs dramatically below broadcast,
streaming, podcast, and print alternatives. Solomon Partners' February 2026 Media Monthly
confirmed what transit buyers have long known: bulletin and
poster CPMs remain in the $2–$10 range, even as digital costs rise.
OOH Format Efficiency — 2026
CPM ranges across the OOH ecosystem
Why Transit Wins on CPM Math
- Bus Advertising: $1 / $3 / $7 — Full wraps, kings, queens, supertails
- Transit Street Furniture: $2 / $5 / $15 — Shelters, benches, kiosks
- Bulletin Billboards: $3 / $5 / $10 — 14'×48' large format
- Poster Billboards: $3 / $5 / $9 — 12'×24' mid-format
- Digital Place-Based / Airport: $9 / $18 / $32 — Captive audience premium
- Programmatic DOOH: $5 / $8 / $15
Transit vs. Other Media
Avg CPM — Transit shelter highlighted
Ad Blockers
42.7%
Of global internet users block ads
OOH Ad Blockers
0%
Physical presence can't be blocked
Weekly OOH Reach
95%
Of U.S. adults 18–49 (OAAA)
Brand Recall Lift
2×
Transit shelter vs. smaller OOH (OUTFRONT)
"
While digital ad conversions typically peak within 4.5 hours of an impression,
billboard campaigns sustain their performance curve over 14 to 21 days — thanks to
repeated exposure building recognition over time.
— Out of Home Advertising Association of America
Print: The Surprise Cost Leader
Print sits at the top of the U.S. media cost stack on a CPM basis. Paid newspaper
circulation has fallen below 20 million daily while ad rate cards have held firm,
making print one of the least efficient channels for broad reach in 2026.
Solomon Partners' June 2025 benchmark places newspaper CPM range from
$45 to $196. Rate-card math against paid circulation
at the major dailies (NYT, WSJ, LA Times) confirms $150–$500 CPM for top metros —
the blended national average lands near $85.
- Regional Dailies: $40–$90 — Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh tier
- Major Metros: $120–$200 — NYT, WSJ, WaPo, LA Times
Magazines run more efficiently than newspapers but still sit well above most other
channels. Solomon's range: $24–$54. Trade and B2B
publications command premiums due to audience specificity.
- Consumer Magazines: $25–$55 — Lifestyle, fashion, news weeklies
- Trade / B2B: $50–$100+ — High audience specificity
Print CPM by Tier — 2026
CPM ranges across the print landscape, from regional dailies to national magazines
The Circulation Math
U.S. daily newspaper paid circulation is now under 20 million, down from roughly 55 million
at the turn of the century. With rate cards holding firm against a much smaller denominator,
print CPMs land at the top of the cost stack across nearly every tier.
Reach 1 Million People
What does it actually cost to put an ad in front of a million Americans? This is the
fairest way to compare channels — because it normalizes for audience scale and
format complexity.
Cost to Reach 1,000,000 U.S. Impressions
Based on 2026 average CPM across each channel
$45,000
Broadcast Primetime TV
$85,000
Newspaper Advertising
"
A $5,000 transit shelter buy reaches the same million Americans as a $45,000
primetime TV spot — and those shelter impressions can't be skipped, blocked,
or scrolled past.
— Adsposure, The Transit Advertising People
Full 2026 CPM Table
Complete reference for all 23 U.S. media categories analyzed in this report,
spanning television and streaming, audio, online and digital, out-of-home, and print.
| Category |
Low |
Avg |
High |
| Broadcast TV (Ex-Prime) | $12 | $20 | $32 |
| Broadcast TV (Primetime) | $35 | $45 | $60 |
| Cable TV (Ex-Prime) | $8 | $13 | $19 |
| Cable TV (Primetime) | $15 | $20 | $28 |
| CTV — Standard (AVOD/FAST) | $15 | $25 | $40 |
| CTV — Premium (Direct) | $35 | $50 | $65 |
| Terrestrial Radio | $4 | $7 | $12 |
| Podcasts | $18 | $28 | $50 |
| Streaming Audio | $10 | $20 | $35 |
| Mobile Video | $7 | $12 | $25 |
| Desktop Video | $8 | $15 | $25 |
| Mobile Display | $1 | $2.50 | $7 |
| General Display | $1 | $3 | $8 |
| Social Media | $5 | $12 | $45 |
| Retail Media Networks | $20 | $35 | $60 |
| Bulletin Billboards | $3 | $5 | $10 |
| Poster Billboards | $3 | $5 | $9 |
| Bus Advertising | $1 | $3 | $7 |
| Transit Street Furniture | $2 | $5 | $15 |
| Digital Place-Based / Airport | $9 | $18 | $32 |
| Programmatic DOOH | $5 | $8 | $15 |
| Newspapers | $40 | $85 | $180 |
| Magazines | $25 | $40 | $55 |
Notes: CPMs reflect 2026 U.S. market averages based on readership methodology
where applicable. Top-100 podcasts and major-metro newspapers can exceed high-end ranges
($60–$120 and $200–$500 CPM respectively). Social media high end driven by LinkedIn B2B
campaigns. CTV premium direct represents Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu direct buys.
Sources & Citations
All benchmarks in this report are derived from current industry data published between
late 2025 and April 2026. Primary sources are weighted most heavily; aggregator sources
are used for cross-validation.
- Primary Industry Sources
- Solomon Partners 2022 U.S. Major Media CPM Comparison Report (OAAA). oaaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/
- Solomon Partners Media Monthly, June 2025 Issue. solomonpartners.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/
- Solomon Partners Media Monthly, February 2026 Issue (via Adams Outdoor Advertising).
- Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) — industry reports on OOH ROI and benchmarks.
- Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) — Podcast Ad Revenue Report 2026.
- Television & CTV
- eMarketer: "Streaming Upfront growth usurps primetime TV" (Aug 2025). emarketer.com/content/streaming-upfront-growth-usurps-primetime-tv
- Starti Blog: "How Much Do Linear TV Ads Cost in 2026?" starti.ai/blog/how-much-do-linear-tv-ads-cost-in-2026
- DesignRush: "TV Advertising Costs in 2026: A Complete Guide" (Dec 2025). designrush.com/agency/ad-agencies/tv-ads/trends/tv-advertising-cost
- Simulmedia: "TV Commercial Costs in 2026: Full Guide" (Feb 2026). simulmedia.com/blog/how-much-do-tv-ads-cost
- MNTN: "How Much Does a 30-Second TV Commercial Cost in 2026?" (Feb 2026).
- Adwave: "Average CTV CPM: What Advertisers Pay (Q4 2025 Data)"; "Political Ad Rates 2026" (Jan 2026).
- Tatari: "What is CTV? Understanding Connected TV Advertising in 2026".
- AI Digital: "CTV Media Buying: How Connected TV Ads Work" (Mar 2026).
- Marketing LTB: "Connected TV Statistics 2026: 93+ Stats & Insights".
- R-Advertising: "TV Instream Advertising: Formats, CPM and Best Practices in 2026".
- Media Dynamics Inc.: "Guide to CPM Data" — Season-by-Season TV CPM Estimates 1994-2026.
- Audio, Radio, Podcasts
- Westwood One (via Amra & Elma, Mar 2026): 2026 cost-efficiency analysis of top-50 U.S. markets.
- Inside Radio / OAAA: "Report: Radio Has One Of The Lowest CPMs In Major Media".
- Digital Applied: "Podcast Statistics 2026: 130+ Advertising Data Points".
- The Podcast Consultant: "Podcast Advertising: Ad Revenue & Sponsorships" (Nov 2025).
- Acast: "Podcast Advertising: The Ultimate Guide" (2025–2026).
- Libsyn Ads: "Podcast Advertising 2026 Ultimate Guide".
- Podscribe: Q2 2025 Podcast Benchmark Report.
- Magellan AI: Podcast advertising rates and benchmarking analyses.
- Ad Results Media: Podcast Advertising ROI Report 2026 (Mar 2026).
- MonetizePros: "CPM Rates for Programmatic Audio Ads & Trends: 2026 Guide".
- AI Digital: "Spotify Ads: Formats, Costs, and How to Run Campaigns" (Feb 2026).
- AdShark: "Spotify & Pandora Ads" platform breakdowns.
- Online & Digital
- Marketing LTB: "Display Advertising Statistics 2026: 93+ Stats & Insights".
- DWAO: "DV360 CPM Benchmarks for Display & Video Advertising" (Dec 2025).
- Monetag: "What Is a Good CPM in 2026? Real Benchmarks & Publisher Tips" (Oct 2025).
- Semrush / AdClarity: "Average CPM for Display Ads: Benchmarks by Industry [Study]".
- Store Growers: "YouTube Ads Benchmarks (2026)" (Feb 2026).
- upGrowth: "YouTube CPM by Country 2026" and "YouTube CPM Rates in 2026".
- The Jonas Agency: "2026 Paid Social and Video Media Benchmarks" (Feb 2026).
- SQ Magazine: "Social Media Advertising Statistics 2026" (Mar 2026).
- Evokad: "The Social Media Advertising Platform Guide 2026" (Mar 2026).
- AdAmigo.ai: "Meta Ads CPM (and CPC) Benchmarks by Country in 2026".
- WebFX: "Meta Marketing Benchmarks for Facebook & Instagram in 2026" (Feb 2026).
- Socialinsider: "2026 Social Media Benchmarks" (Mar 2026).
- AdRoll: "Social Media Ads Cost Breakdown" (Apr 2026).
- Affect Group: "US Meta Ads CPM Insights 1Q 2026".
- Retail Media
- McKinsey & Company: Retail media ad spend forecast ($45B → $100B+ by 2026).
- Path to Purchase Institute (P2PI): "2026 Retailer Media Network Ratings" (Jan 2026).
- ATTN Agency: "Retail Media Networks Explained: The 2026 Landscape" (Mar 2026).
- The Retail Exec: "How Mid-Market Retailers Can Build Retail Media Networks" (Nov 2025).
- Improvado: "Retail Media Networks: The Ultimate 2026 Guide".
- Teikametrics: "2026 Marketplace Benchmarks: The Data Story Behind 2025 (Amazon + Walmart)" (Mar 2026).
- EMARKETER: Retail Media Measurement industry KPIs.
- Out of Home
- AdQuick: "Billboard Advertising: Plan, Buy & Measure OOH" (Apr 2026); "Bus Shelter Advertising" (Apr 2026).
- Adams Outdoor Advertising: "Billboard CPM Calculator" citing Solomon February 2026 Media Monthly.
- Mordor Intelligence: "Digital Out of Home Advertising (DOOH) Market Size & Share Analysis, 2031" (Jan 2026).
- Fortune Business Insights: "Digital Out-of-Home Advertising Market Size & Share [2034]".
- Whistler Billboards / Medium: "Why Billboard CPM Still Wins in a Gen Z Streaming World" (Feb 2026).
- LED Truck Media: "How Much Does Mobile Billboard Advertising Cost in 2026?" (Mar 2026).
- Place Exchange: H2 2023 Programmatic OOH Trends Report.
- OUTFRONT Media: Transit shelter brand recall research (84% aided recall).
- Billboard Insider: CPM archives and PJ Solomon quarterly benchmark coverage.
- Print
- The Marketing Juice: "Newspaper Advertising Costs: What You're Buying" (Apr 2026).
- WebFX: "Cost to Advertise in a National Magazine | 2026 Guide".
- Top Draw: "Online Advertising Costs In 2026" (Feb 2026).
- Improvado: Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Vogue 2025 Media Kits.
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs: Advertising & Media Rates Research Guide.
- Bizfluent: "How to Set Advertising Rates for a Magazine".
- WSJ Media Kit: Print Terms and Conditions rate card.
- Sapling: "The Average Cost of Advertising in a Fashion Magazine" (Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar rate cards).
