Average Cost Per Click (CPC) by Industry (2026)
Average Google Ads cost-per-click varies widely by industry — competitive, high-value verticals like legal and dental pay far more per click than retail or travel. The cross-industry average is $4.77. Data from the WordStream 2026 Google Ads benchmark report, with year-over-year change vs 2025. See the CPC definition for how it's calculated.
Cross-industry average
$4.77
| # | Industry | CPC vs 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Attorneys & Legal Services | $9.87 ▲15% |
| 2 | Home & Home Improvement | $8.33 ▲6% |
| 3 | Dentists & Dental Services | $8.00 ▲2% |
| 4 | Personal Services | $7.17 ▲23% |
| 5 | Health & Fitness | $6.17 ▲23% |
| 6 | Business Services | $5.87 ▲5% |
| 7 | Industrial & Commercial | $5.87 ▲3% |
| 8 | Career & Employment | $5.81 ▲13% |
| 9 | Education & Instruction | $4.81 ▼23% |
| 10 | Physicians & Surgeons | $4.76 ▼5% |
| 11 | Beauty & Personal Care | $4.62 ▼19% |
| 12 | Apparel / Fashion & Jewelry | $4.44 ▲3% |
| 13 | Automotive — Repair, Service & Parts | $4.35 ▲12% |
| 14 | Shopping, Collectibles & Gifts | $4.14 ▲19% |
| 15 | Animals & Pets | $4.06 ▲2% |
| 16 | Furniture | $3.97 ▲3% |
| 17 | Finance & Insurance | $3.39 ▼2% |
| 18 | Real Estate | $3.22 ▲27% |
| 19 | Sports & Recreation | $2.77 ▲5% |
| 20 | Automotive — For Sale | $2.27 ▼6% |
| 21 | Travel | $2.14 ▲1% |
| 22 | Restaurants & Food | $2.05 ▲0% |
| 23 | Arts & Entertainment | $1.63 ▲2% |
Source: WordStream 2026 Google Ads Benchmarks
· Data year 2026 (with 2025 YoY) · Updated 2026-07-05
More benchmarks by industry
- Average Click-Through Rate (CTR) by industry
- Average Conversion Rate by industry
- Average Cost Per Lead (CPL) by industry
Or see the full Google Ads cost breakdown by industry →