How Much Can You Really Make as an ACA Agent?

Let’s be real—one of the biggest questions new and even experienced ACA agents have is “How much money can I actually make doing this?” The answer? It depends on a lot of factors—your hustle, how many clients you enroll, how well you retain them, and how much you’re spending on leads. But let’s break it down with some real numbers so you can get a solid understanding of what’s possible.

Breaking Down the Average Agent’s Book of Business

From what we’ve seen in the field, the average ACA agent has somewhere between 200 - 500 clients. Agents that really push it and grow aggressively can hit the 500 - 1,500 client range, but once you start getting past that, it becomes a full-time operation with at least 1-2 assistants helping manage everything.

Once an agent reaches that higher level of success, others start noticing. That’s when many of these top agents transition into leadership roles, focusing on building a downline and collecting overrides rather than just writing policies themselves.

How Much Do ACA Agents Make Per Deal?

The industry standard commission for ACA is about $20 per member, per month. That means:

• 500 members = $10,000/month ($120,000/year)

• 1,000 members = $20,000/month ($240,000/year)

• 1,500 members = $30,000/month ($360,000/year)

None of these numbers include any estimates for selling ancillary products such as dental/vision, indemnity, accident, life, etc! Many agents that sell their clients the whole package see their revenue numbers jump up dramatically from the estimates above.

Of course, that’s before expenses. After software, CRM costs, licensing fees, and marketing, an agent with 500 clients can expect to take home around $100,000 per year after costs. But the biggest factor in determining your actual income is how much you’re spending to get those clients.

What Does It Cost to Build a Book of 500 Clients?

Let’s do some quick math. Say you’re buying full-enrollment leads at $25 per lead, and you’re closing 30% of them. That means:

• You need 500 clients.

• To get 500 clients at a 30% close rate (this is average on this type of lead), you need ~1,667 leads.

• 1,667 leads at $25 each = $41,675.

Now, let’s calculate the return on investment (ROI):

• 500 clients x $20 per month x 12 months = $120,000 in revenue.

• $120,000 revenue - $41,675 lead cost = $78,325 profit (before other expenses).

• ROI = ($78,325 / $41,675) x 100 = 188% ROI.

That’s a pretty solid return! While we aren't factoring in a monthly % loss of clients (average is around 2-5%), or the lifetime value of a client (average is around 10 months), you can see how profitable ACA can still be! And keep in mind, this is assuming no client retention strategies—if you actively work to retain your clients, your revenue compounds year over year with renewals without spending as much on new leads.

The Real Key: Retention, Not Just Enrollment

One of the biggest mistakes agents make? Focusing only on getting new clients and not putting any effort into retaining the ones they already have. Every time a client falls off, you have to spend money to replace them—and that adds up fast.

That’s why smart agents use PolicySync to track at-risk policies and proactively retain their book. Instead of constantly buying new leads, invest time into saving the clients you’ve already worked hard to enroll.

Yes, ACA is a great opportunity to make six figures—even multiple six figures. But it’s not just about making enrollments—it’s about keeping them.

Want to scale smarter? Start focusing on retention and tracking your book of business. Check out PolicySync at www.Policy-Sync.com to see how we help agents like you keep more clients, lower costs, and maximize profits.