Outdoor advertising guides
What billboards and other out-of-home ads cost, how to buy them and how the industry works. Want a quick number? Try the billboard cost calculator.
Costs and pricing
- How Much Does a Billboard Cost in 2026? Prices by City, Type and SizeBillboards cost about $250 a month in rural areas and $25,000 or more in top metros, with a national average near $3,953 per 4 weeks. Here is what drives the price, real rates from operators, and how to get the best deal.
- How Much Does a Digital Billboard Cost? 2026 Pricing GuideDigital billboard ads cost about $770 to $20,000 a month depending on market and share of rotation, with CPMs around $6 to $10 in standard markets. Here is how digital pricing works and how it compares to static.
- Bus Advertising: Costs, Ad Sizes and How to Buy (2026)Bus ads cost from about $230 a month for a tail ad in a smaller city to $12,500 or more for a full wrap in a big metro. Here are the standard bus ad sizes, real rate cards and how transit advertising is bought.
- Mobile Billboards: How Much They Cost and When They WorkMobile billboard trucks typically cost about $175 an hour, $7,500 a week or $24,000 a month for a full-time digital truck. Here is how mobile billboard pricing works, when they beat a fixed billboard, and how to book one.
- Airport Advertising: Costs, Formats and Who Sells It (2026)Airport ads cost from about $250 a month at a regional airport to $100,000 or more for a 4-week digital network at a major hub. Here are the formats, real rate cards and how to buy airport advertising.
- How Much Does a Times Square Billboard Cost? (2026 Prices)A Times Square billboard costs from about $150 for a personal photo slot to $50,000 per 4 weeks for a 15-second spot on a standard screen and $300,000 or more on premium screens. Here is how Times Square pricing works.
Planning a campaign
- How to Rent a Billboard: A Step-by-Step Guide for Small BusinessesRenting a billboard takes 7 steps: set a goal and budget, pick a format, find operators, request quotes, compare impressions, design the ad and sign a contract. Here is how each step works and what to watch for.
- Billboard Design: 10 Rules for Ads People Actually ReadDrivers see a billboard for about 4 to 5 seconds. These billboard design rules (seven words or fewer, bold type, high contrast, one idea) help your ad get read and remembered.
- Lawyer Billboards: Costs, Rules and What Makes Them WorkLegal services was the largest out-of-home advertising category in 2025, growing 21%. Here is what lawyer billboards cost, the ethics rules to check, and the design choices that make attorney billboards work.
- Real Estate Billboards: Costs, Rules and Ideas for Agents and BrokersReal estate billboards help agents and brokerages build name recognition in their farm area. Most cost $1,500 to $5,000 per 4 weeks in small and midsize cities. Here is what they cost, the rules to follow and what makes them work.
- Does Billboard Advertising Work? What the Data Says (2026)A 2026 OAAA and Kochava study found out-of-home delivered a median 20% lift in in-person visits and 14% in digital actions, about double TV. Here is what the research shows, when billboards work and how to measure your own.
- Restaurant Billboards: How to Use Billboards to Bring in DinersBillboards work well for restaurants because people decide where to eat while they are on the road. Here is what restaurant billboards cost, where to place them, and ideas that drive visits.
- Church Billboards: Costs, Ideas and Tips for Reaching Your CommunityChurch billboards help congregations invite neighbors, promote Easter and Christmas services and build awareness. Here is what they cost, how to save, and message ideas that work.
- Billboards for HVAC, Plumbing and Roofing Companies: A Practical GuideHome service companies use billboards to become the name homeowners remember when the AC dies or the roof leaks. Here is what they cost, where to put them and what to say.
- Dental and Healthcare Billboards: Costs, Rules and Best PracticesDentists, clinics, urgent care centers and hospitals use billboards to build local recognition and bring in new patients. Here is what healthcare billboards cost, the advertising rules to check, and what works.
Formats explained
- Billboard Sizes: Standard Dimensions for Every Format (2026 Chart)The standard highway billboard is 14 feet by 48 feet. Here are the dimensions for bulletins, posters, junior posters, digital screens and street-level formats, plus what each size costs and when to use it.
- What Is Out-of-Home (OOH) Advertising? A Plain-English GuideOut-of-home advertising is any ad people see outside their home: billboards, transit, street furniture and place-based screens. US OOH revenue hit a record $9.46 billion in 2025. Here is how it works, what it costs and who it is for.
- What Is DOOH? Digital Out-of-Home Advertising ExplainedDOOH (digital out-of-home) is advertising on digital screens in public places: digital billboards, transit screens and place-based displays. It made up 36.3% of US OOH revenue in 2025. Here is how it works, how it is bought and what it costs.
- Wallscape Advertising: What It Is, What It Costs and Where to BuyWallscapes are giant ads printed or painted on the sides of buildings. In Los Angeles they run about $25,000 to $150,000 per 4 weeks. Here is how wallscapes work, what they cost and who sells them.
- Wild Posting: What It Is, How Much It Costs and How It WorksWild posting (wheat pasting) covers walls and construction sites with repeated posters. Campaigns typically cost about $3,500 to $13,500 in a single city, or $33 to $55 per installed poster. Here is how it works.
- Transit Advertising: Types, Costs and How to Buy ItTransit advertising covers ads on and in buses, trains, subways, stations, shelters and airports. It was the fastest-growing OOH segment in 2025. Here is every format, what it costs and how it is sold.
Billboard industry
- The 25 Largest Billboard Companies in the US and Canada (2026)Lamar, Clear Channel Outdoor and Outfront Media own about 60% of the billboard and poster faces in our directory, but hundreds of independent operators control the rest. Here are the 25 largest billboard companies by face count.
- Billboard Lease Rates: How Much Do Billboard Companies Pay Landowners?Landowners typically earn a few hundred dollars a year for a rural billboard to $500 to $2,000 or more a month for urban highway sites, or 15% to 20% of the sign's ad revenue. Here is how billboard ground leases work and how to negotiate.
- How Much Does It Cost to Build a Billboard? (2026 Breakdown)A standard 14' x 48' static steel monopole billboard typically costs $80,000 to $100,000 to build, a smaller 12' x 25' board around $40,000 to $50,000, and digital billboards far more. Here is the full cost breakdown, permits and payback.