How AdSense earnings are actually calculated
AdSense earnings come from three numbers multiplied together: how many ad impressions your pageviews generate, what share of those get clicked, and what each click is worth.
- Impressions = pageviews × ad units shown per page
- Clicks = impressions × click-through rate
- Earnings = clicks × cost per click
The result also shows the page RPM this implies, since that's the figure most people compare across sites and ad networks.
Typical ranges to start from
- Click-through rate: most sites see 0.5% to 2%, with well-placed, relevant ads at the higher end
- Cost per click: commonly $0.10 to $0.50 for general content, and $1 to $5 or more for finance, legal or insurance topics
- Ad units per page: 2 to 4 is typical; more can raise revenue but also raises the chance of hurting the reader experience and your rankings
Frequently asked questions
What's a good AdSense CTR?
Most sites see 0.5% to 2%. Above 2% is strong; consistently above 5% often means ads are placed in a way that risks policy problems rather than genuine relevance.
How many AdSense units should I show per page?
2 to 4 well-placed units usually earns close to the maximum without hurting the reader experience. Beyond that, extra units tend to add little revenue while pushing visitors away.
Does this account for AdSense's cut?
No. Enter your cost per click as what you're actually paid per click (after AdSense's share), which is what your AdSense reports show, and the earnings figure will match.