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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.

Edition
Version 1.0 · april 2026
Coverage
23 U.S. Media categories
Sources referenced
40+ Industry reports
Executive summary

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

Avg bus cpm
$3
Avg radio cpm
$7
Cheaper than primetime tv
15×
Cheaper than newspaper
28×

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.

  • Newspapers$40–$180Avg $85
  • CTV — Premium (Direct)$35–$65Avg $50
  • Broadcast TV (Primetime)$35–$60Avg $45
  • Magazines$25–$55Avg $40
  • Retail Media Networks$20–$60Avg $35
  • Podcasts$18–$50Avg $28
  • CTV — Standard (AVOD/FAST)$15–$40Avg $25
  • Broadcast TV (Ex-Prime)$12–$32Avg $20
  • Cable TV (Primetime)$15–$28Avg $20
  • Streaming Audio$10–$35Avg $20
  • Digital Place-Based / Airport$9–$32Avg $18
  • Desktop Video$8–$25Avg $15
  • Cable TV (Ex-Prime)$8–$19Avg $13
  • Mobile Video$7–$25Avg $12
  • Social Media$5–$45Avg $12
  • Programmatic DOOH$5–$15Avg $8
  • Terrestrial Radio$4–$12Avg $7
  • Bulletin Billboards$3–$10Avg $5
  • Poster Billboards$3–$9Avg $5
  • Transit Street Furniture$2–$15Avg $5
  • General Display$1–$8Avg $3
  • Bus Advertising$1–$7Avg $3
  • Mobile Display$1–$7Avg $2.50
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.

Linear tv

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

  • Cable TV (Ex-Prime)$8–$19Avg $13
  • Cable TV (Primetime)$15–$28Avg $20
  • Broadcast TV (Ex-Prime)$12–$32Avg $20
  • Broadcast TV (Primetime)$35–$60Avg $45

CTV / streaming

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

  • CTV — Standard (AVOD/FAST)$15–$40
  • CTV — Premium (Direct)$35–$65

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.

Terrestrial radio

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

Podcasts

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

  • Terrestrial radio
    $7
  • Streaming audio
    $20
  • Podcasts (blended)
    $28
  • Podcasts (top-100)
    $90

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

  • Mobile Display$1–$7Avg $2.50
  • General Display$1–$8Avg $3
  • Social Media$5–$45Avg $12
  • Mobile Video$7–$25Avg $12
  • Desktop Video$8–$25Avg $15
  • Retail Media Networks$20–$60Avg $35

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

  • Stated CPM
  • Effective CPM
  • Mobile Display
    $2.50
    $5
  • General Display
    $3
    $6
  • Social Media
    $12
    $22
  • Mobile Video
    $12
    $20
The value leader

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

  • Bus Advertising$1–$7
  • Bulletin Billboards$3–$10
  • Poster Billboards$3–$9
  • Transit Street Furniture$2–$15
  • Programmatic DOOH$5–$15
  • Digital Place-Based / Airport$9–$32

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

  • Transit Shelter
    $5
  • Radio
    $7
  • Podcast
    $28
  • CTV Standard
    $25
  • Primetime TV
    $45
  • Newspaper
    $85
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 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.

Newspapers

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

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

  • Regional Dailies$40–$90
  • Major Metro Dailies$120–$200
  • Consumer Magazines$25–$55
  • Trade / B2B Magazines$50–$100

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

  • Bus Advertising
    $3,000
  • Transit Street Furniture
    $5,000
  • Bulletin Billboards
    $5,000
  • Terrestrial Radio
    $7,000
  • Social Media
    $12,000
  • Cable TV (Primetime)
    $20,000
  • CTV — Standard (AVOD/FAST)
    $25,000
  • Podcasts
    $28,000
  • Retail Media Networks
    $35,000
  • Magazines
    $40,000
  • Broadcast TV (Primetime)
    $45,000
  • CTV — Premium (Direct)
    $50,000
  • Newspapers
    $85,000
Bus advertising
$3,000
Transit shelter
$5,000
Broadcast primetime tv
$45,000
Newspaper advertising
$85,000
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.

CategoryLowAverageHigh
Television
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
Audio
Terrestrial Radio$4$7$12
Podcasts$18$28$50
Streaming Audio$10$20$35
Online & Digital
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
Out of Home
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
Print
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

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).