YouTube usually pays around $10 to $100 for 10,000 long-form views, based on typical RPMs between $1 and $10. A general-entertainment channel might earn about $20 to $50, while finance or tech channels can earn well above $100 for the same views.
Shorts pay far less: 10,000 Shorts views often earn well under a dollar, because Shorts RPMs are commonly a few cents per 1,000 views. Your actual earnings depend on where viewers live, how many views are monetized, ad formats and niche. Use your own RPM from YouTube Studio for accurate projections; multiplying 10 by your RPM gives a reliable estimate for 10,000 views.
Step-by-step plan
Find your RPM in YouTube Studio Revenue analytics.
Multiply RPM by 10 to estimate earnings for 10,000 views.
Separate Shorts and long-form RPM in your calculations.
Improve RPM with longer videos and mid-rolls.
Target audiences in high-paying countries.
Why this works
YouTube pays from ad revenue, so earnings depend on RPM: what you keep per 1,000 views after YouTube's share. Long-form creators keep 55% of ad revenue and commonly see RPMs between about $1 and $10, with finance, software and business niches above that. Shorts share a pooled revenue model at 45% and usually earn a few cents per 1,000 views. Audience country, season, video length and how many views are monetized all move the number.
Common mistake to avoid
Using a single viral estimate for every video. RPM varies widely between topics, formats and audiences.
Pro tip
If you publish both formats, report earnings for each separately. A channel with 10,000 long-form views and 10,000 Shorts views may earn nearly all of its revenue from the long-form video.
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