Google Ads Quality Score - Cross-industry medians-2026
6.1/10
Avg Quality Score, cross-industry median
Quality Score is Google's 1 - 10 diagnostic rating for each keyword, based on three components. It directly affects your Ad Rank and actual CPC - a higher QS means you pay less per click and win more auctions.
Expected CTR
35%
How likely your ad is to be clicked relative to other ads for the same keyword.
Ad Relevance
35%
How closely your ad copy matches the intent of the search query.
Landing Page Experience
30%
How relevant, transparent, and easy to navigate your landing page is for the user.
CPC Impact by Quality Score
1
+400%
2
+150%
3
+67%
4
+25%
5
0%
6
-17%
7
-28%
8
-37%
9
-44%
10
-50%
CPC adjustment vs. QS 5 baseline. Source: Google Ads internal documentation.
Important: Quality Score is a diagnostic metric, not an optimization target. Do not optimize campaigns just to raise QS numbers. The correct approach is to optimize for conversion outcomes - better ad relevance and landing page experience will naturally raise QS as a byproduct.| Segment | Median QS | Bottom Quartile | Top Quartile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonprofit | 6.8 | 5 | 9 |
| Education | 6.5 | 4 | 8 |
| Ecommerce | 6.4 | 4 | 8 |
| SaaS | 6.3 | 4 | 8 |
| Healthcare | 6.1 | 4 | 8 |
| Automotive | 6.0 | 4 | 8 |
| Financial Services | 5.8 | 3 | 7 |
| Home Services | 5.9 | 3 | 7 |
| Legal | 5.7 | 3 | 7 |
| Real Estate | 5.6 | 3 | 7 |
Legal and financial services have lower average QS partly due to regulatory constraints on ad copy and landing page content, which limits how tightly keywords, ads, and pages can be aligned.
Match keyword to ad copy tightly
Each ad group should have a tight semantic theme. The exact keyword (or close variant) should appear in the headline and ideally in the description. Loose ad groups with 50+ keywords per ad produce low ad relevance scores and low expected CTR because the ad copy cannot match all queries.
2Improve expected CTR via ad testing
Expected CTR is the biggest QS lever. Test 3 - 4 RSA (Responsive Search Ad) headline variations focused on the primary user intent. Headlines that mirror the search query and lead with a benefit outperform generic copy. Use ad strength scores and pinning sparingly.
3Align landing page to keyword intent
Google evaluates landing page relevance by comparing the page content to the keyword and ad. If someone searches "emergency plumber NYC" and lands on your homepage with generic service categories, landing page experience will be rated "Below Average." Create dedicated landing pages for high-priority keyword themes.
4Add negative keywords to prevent irrelevant impressions
Irrelevant impressions where your ad is shown but not clicked directly lower your expected CTR score. A robust negative keyword list prevents your ads from appearing for queries where they will not get clicked - protecting your QS from unrelated traffic.
5Use SKAGs or STAGs for high-value terms
Single Keyword Ad Groups (SKAGs) or Single Theme Ad Groups (STAGs) for your highest-value keywords allow perfect alignment between keyword, ad copy, and landing page. For your 10 - 20 most valuable keywords, dedicated ad groups with tailored ads consistently achieve QS 8 - 10.
The cross-industry median Quality Score is 6.1/10. A QS of 7 - 8 is strong and indicates your keywords, ads, and landing pages are well-aligned. QS 9 - 10 is elite and typically achieved only for branded keywords or extremely tight ad groups. QS below 4 is a red flag - your ads are likely rated "Below Average" on multiple components and you are paying a CPC premium of 25%+ above the baseline. Focus first on keywords with high impression volume and low QS - those have the biggest cost savings available.
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/10 4/10 P25 6.1/10 Med 8/10 P75 10/10 EliteEnter your Quality Score (Google Ads) above
These benchmarks are drawn from a multi-source benchmark cohort aggregated across industries and regions, covering the period Q1 2023 – Q4 2024. Figures on this page come from the Benchmarketing benchmark dataset: thousands of curated benchmark observations spanning channels, industries, and US metro areas, refreshed on a published schedule. Every statistic traces to a named source — no anonymous “studies show.” Data is sourced from:
The Benchmarketing 4-Band Method reads every marketing metric against four percentile bands — P25 (bottom quartile), median, P75 (top quartile), and elite (top ~10%) — for a specific industry and channel, instead of a single cross-industry average. Averages blend brand and non-brand campaigns, $500/month and $500,000/month accounts, and unrelated industries into a number almost nobody actually has.
Benchmarks reflect median values across large sample sets. Your industry, business model, and account maturity will cause variation. Use P25/P75 ranges to understand realistic distribution.
Read full methodologyWritten by
Benchmarketing Research Team
Data & Analytics
Reviewed by
Performance Marketing Editorial
Senior Review
Last updated
Reviewed March 2026
Observation period: Q1 2023 – Q4 2024
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