A 65-inch TV watched five hours a day costs about $34 to $42 a year in electricity at the US average residential rate of 18.31 cents per kWh (EIA, July 2026), which is roughly $2.85 to $3.53 a month. That is our arithmetic from the ENERGY STAR certified-TV dataset, using the median measured draw of 102.5 W for an LCD/LED set and 126.8 W for an OLED set in that size range. Screen size and panel type move the number by tens of dollars; your state’s rate moves it by more than either. For the full five-year cost of an OLED, including purchase price, warranty and burn-in risk, see our OLED TV cost of ownership guide.
How We Got the Wattage Numbers
Manufacturers publish power figures in different ways, so we used one consistent source: the public ENERGY STAR certified-televisions dataset at data.energystar.gov, which we downloaded on October 5, 2026. It held 183 certified models. Each entry lists the on-mode power measured under the federal test procedure.
We grouped the models by panel type and screen size and took the median on-mode watts in each group. The QLED groups are small (3 to 6 models per size), so treat them as rough. Certified models are also the efficient end of the market, so an uncertified budget set may draw more. All dollar figures below are our arithmetic: watts x hours x 365 / 1,000 gives kWh, and kWh x rate gives dollars.
Median Draw by Panel Type and Size
| Screen size | LCD/LED | QLED | OLED |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43-inch class (40-50 in) | 66.2 W | 73.2 W | 75.0 W |
| 55-inch class (50-60 in) | 83.9 W | 102.2 W | 103.1 W |
| 65-inch class (60-70 in) | 102.5 W | 122.0 W | 126.8 W |
| 75-inch class (70-80 in) | 116.5 W | 141.0 W | 159.5 W |
| 85-inch class (80-100 in) | 143.7 W | 185.5 W | 196.9 W |
Source: ENERGY STAR certified-TV dataset, medians computed by us, October 5, 2026. Two patterns show up. Draw rises with screen area, so going from 55 to 85 inches adds roughly 60 to 95 watts depending on panel type. And at every size the LCD/LED sets in the dataset draw less than the OLED sets, by about 9 watts at 43 inches and 53 watts at 85 inches.
What That Costs per Year
These figures assume 5 hours of viewing a day (our assumption, not a measured average) at the US average rate of 18.31 cents per kWh:
| Screen size | LCD/LED | QLED | OLED |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55-inch class | $28.04 | $34.15 | $34.45 |
| 65-inch class | $34.25 | $40.77 | $42.37 |
| 75-inch class | $38.93 | $47.12 | $53.30 |
| 85-inch class | $48.02 | $61.99 | $65.80 |
A 65-inch OLED at 126.8 W uses 0.634 kWh on a five-hour day, which is about 11.6 cents. Over a 10-year life that is roughly $424 at today’s average rate. The wattage gap between panel types is real, but on a 65-inch set it is about $8 a year between the cheapest and most expensive column, so it should not decide a purchase on its own.
Your State Matters More Than Your Panel
The same 65-inch OLED, 231.4 kWh a year, costs very different amounts depending on where it is plugged in. State rates below come from the EIA’s July 2026 residential table (Table 5.6.A). Every state is listed in our average electric bill by state guide:
| Location | Rate | 65-inch LCD/LED (187.1 kWh) | 65-inch OLED (231.4 kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utah | 13.12 cents | $24.54 | $30.36 |
| US average | 18.31 cents | $34.25 | $42.37 |
| Hawaii | 48.00 cents | $89.79 | $111.08 |
A Hawaii household running that OLED pays about $111 a year, 3.7 times the Utah figure for identical hardware and habits. Hawaii’s rate also makes the panel choice matter more: the LED-to-OLED gap there is about $21 a year instead of $8.
Hours Per Day
Most of the bill is simply time. The same 65-inch OLED at 126.8 W, at the US average rate:
| Daily hours | kWh per year | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2 hours | 92.6 | $16.95 |
| 5 hours | 231.4 | $42.37 |
| 8 hours | 370.3 | $67.79 |
A TV left on as background noise for eight hours costs about four times what a two-hour-a-night set does.
Picture Mode and HDR Change the Draw
The certification-test numbers above understate what a TV can pull if you switch modes. A What Hi-Fi? test of a 65-inch Sony A95L, republished on Yahoo Tech, measured power in several picture modes. SDR content drew 0.084 kWh per hour in Professional, 0.108 in Cinema, 0.114 in Standard and 0.156 in Vivid, which is 84 W up to 156 W for the same screen. HDR content drew 96 W in Professional, Cinema and Standard, and 156 W in Vivid. So HDR cost more than SDR in the most accurate mode and less in Cinema and Standard, and Vivid was the most expensive for both.
At five hours a day and 18.31 cents, our arithmetic puts the Professional-mode figure at about $28 a year and Vivid at about $52. That is a $24 difference from one menu setting, and it comes from a single set, so treat it as an illustration rather than a rule. Check which mode yours is in. Our vampire power guide covers standby loads from other devices.
Standby Is Small
ENERGY STAR’s criteria cap passive standby at 0.5 W and “standby-active, low” mode, where the TV listens for a network wake signal, at 3 W. Real certified sets sit well under the cap. The Samsung QN65QN90DAF’s ENERGY STAR listing shows 0.3 W standby disconnected and 0.6 W on a network. In the dataset, the median network-connected standby figure across 96 reporting models was 0.4 W, and the highest was 0.86 W.
At 0.6 W for 24 hours a day, a TV uses 5.3 kWh a year, about 96 cents at the US average rate and $2.52 in Hawaii. Even at the 3 W cap it would be $4.81 a year. Unplugging a TV to save standby power is not worth the effort; the soundbar, streaming box or console behind it are better places to look.
How to Spend Less Without Buying a New TV
Switch from Vivid or Dynamic to Standard or Cinema. Turn on the auto-brightness option if the set has one. Make sure the TV actually turns off instead of sitting on a screensaver. Then use our electric bill estimator to see where the TV sits next to your other appliances, or check the appliance electricity cost per month list for comparison. For the rest of the bill, see how to lower your electric bill.
The Bottom Line
A modern TV costs between about $28 and $66 a year to run at five hours a day on the US average rate, depending on size and panel. A 65-inch LED/LCD is near $34, a 65-inch OLED near $42. The bigger levers are your state’s rate (Utah to Hawaii is a 3.7x swing), your viewing hours, and whether the picture mode is set to Vivid. Standby is a rounding error. Pick the TV on picture quality and price; the electricity gap between panel types is small next to the purchase price.
FAQ
How much does it cost to leave a TV on all day?
A 65-inch OLED at 126.8 W running 24 hours uses about 3.04 kWh, which costs about 56 cents a day at 18.31 cents per kWh, or about $203 a year. A 65-inch LED/LCD at 102.5 W costs about $164 a year if left on around the clock. These are our estimates from the ENERGY STAR median figures.
Do OLED TVs use more electricity than LED TVs?
On the ENERGY STAR data, yes at every size we looked at: the median 65-inch OLED draws 126.8 W against 102.5 W for LCD/LED. OLED draw also varies with picture content, since each pixel lights individually, so a dark scene can pull less than a bright one. The difference is about $8 a year on a 65-inch set at the US average rate.
Does a bigger TV cost much more to run?
Yes, but still modestly. Going from a 55-inch to an 85-inch LCD/LED raises the median draw from 83.9 W to 143.7 W, and the yearly cost at five hours a day from about $28 to about $48. For OLED the same step goes from about $34 to about $66.
Is it worth unplugging my TV when I’m not watching?
Not for the electricity. Standby draw on certified sets is typically 0.3 to 0.9 W, which is about $1 a year at average rates. A power strip makes more sense for a cluster of devices, as covered in our guide to standby power costs.