





































 V37 N3 / 2022 

©2022 American Medical Writers Association. All rights reserved.  
ISSN 2163-5315

AMWAJournal.org     4

ABSTRACT 
Medical communicators are professionals with a knowl-
edge of both medicine and writing who are able to 
deliver complex scientific information to a variety of 
audiences. As the leading professional organization 
for medical communicators with a membership of 
nearly 5,000, the American Medical Writers Association 
(AMWA) is well-situated to tap into their member net-
work to better understand the diverse backgrounds 
and experience of medical communicators. In this arti-
cle, AMWA presents the demographic data (eg, age, 
gender, education, and work experience) received from 
the Medical Communication Compensation Survey to 
create a snapshot of the medical writing community. 
AMWA emailed the most recent Web-based survey to 
medical writers and editors during the first quarter of 
2019. Overall, 7,456 individuals received the survey, and 
1,418 respondents completed the survey. About two-
thirds (66.1%) of the respondents were employed by a 
company, similar to the 2015 survey (65.1%), whereas 
the remaining one-third were freelancers. Most respon-
dents were female (83.4%), and the average age of all 
respondents was about 48 years. The average time spent 
working for pay as a medical communicator for all 
respondents was 12 years. Most respondents held a doc-
toral-level degree (46%) or a master’s degree (32%) as 
their highest level of education. Nearly half of all respon-
dents had their highest degree in the field of science 
(47.2%), whereas 9% had their highest degree in English. 
A key takeaway from the survey is that medical commu-
nicators are a highly educated group of professionals, 
indicating a commitment to continuous learning. AMWA 
members are encouraged to keep their member profiles 
up to date to provide additional demographic informa-
tion to support AMWA’s mission of promoting excellence 
in medical communication and providing educational 
resources in support of that goal. 

Elizabeth Kukielka, PharmD, MS, MWC  /  Senior Medical Writer, CiTRUS Health Group, Philadelphia, PA

AMWA: Who We Are

FEATURE

Medical communicators are professionals with a knowledge 

of both medicine and writing who are able to deliver com-

plex scientific information to a variety of audiences, such as 

health care providers, patients and their caregivers, indus-

try professionals, and public policy officials. Individuals 

working in the field of medical communication may have 

such titles as medical editor, medical writer, scientific writer, 

technical writer, regulatory writer, promotional writer, and 

health care journalist, among many others. Medical com-

municators are responsible for the development of mate-

rials in formats ranging from print publications to digital 

media, and some examples of their work include abstracts 

and posters for scientific conferences, grant proposals, 

health education materials, science textbooks, continu-

ing education materials for health care professionals, sales 

training materials for pharmaceutical or medical device rep-

resentatives, and regulatory documents for submission to 

health agencies.

 As the leading professional organization for medical  

communicators in the United States and worldwide with a 

membership of nearly 5,000, the American Medical Writers 

Association (AMWA) is well-situated to tap into their 

member network to better understand the diverse back-

grounds and experience of medical communicators. One 

valuable information source is the Medical Communication 

Compensation Survey conducted periodically by AMWA. 

This survey provides dependable salary information upon 

which employers and employees in the field of medical 

communication can base their salary negotiations. In addi-

tion to details about compensation, the survey also collects 

a wealth of demographic data from respondents, including 

age, gender, education, and work experience. In the follow-

ing pages, AMWA presents the demographic data received 

from the survey to create a snapshot of the medical writing 

community.

METHODS
AMWA has been conducting periodic compensation sur-

veys since 1989, and the most recent survey was deployed 

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AMWAJournal.org     5AMWA: Who We Are

to medical writers and editors during the first quarter of 

2019. The purpose of the survey was to determine prevailing 

annual income and fee levels and to study different factors 

affecting pay (eg, years of experience, education, certifica-

tion, employer type, type of work, and position level), based 

on the results of previous surveys. A Web-based survey 

was emailed to 7,456 individuals (3,835 AMWA members 

and 3,621 nonmembers). Nonmembers included lapsed 

AMWA members as well as individuals who were never 

AMWA members. Among those, 271 people requested 

to be removed from the survey panel and 55 emails were 

returned, bringing the revised total number of respondents 

to 7,130. The survey included a question about whether 

people had worked for pay as a medical communicator 

during 2018 so that individuals who did not work in the field 

within the time window of interest could be excluded.

RESULTS
Overall, 1,418 individuals completed the survey, yielding 

a response rate of 20% and showing an increase in partic-

ipation from the 2 previous surveys deployed in 2011 and 

2015 (Table 1). More than four-fifths of respondents (81.3%) 

Table 1. Demographics at a Glance for All Respondents, 2007–2019

1133

All Respondents 

All Respondents: Demographics

The majority of medical communicators responding to the 2019 survey were females (83.4%). The average age was 
approximately 48 years, and the average number of years working for pay as a medical communicator was 12. About 
one-third of respondents held a PhD (37.4%) or a master’s degree (31.6%) as their highest level of education, more 
than three-fourths (77.4%) did not have an AMWA Essential Skills certificate, and four in 10 (41.1%) had the ELS (Editor 
in Life Sciences) certification. Approximately half of all the respondents had their highest degree in the field of science 
(47.2%) while 9.0% had their highest degree in in English, quite similar to the proportions observed in the 2015 survey. 
As shown below, respondent demographics in the 2019 survey were similar to those reported in the 2015 survey. 

2007 2011 2015 2019

All Respondents 1704 1193 1292 1418
Employee 1183 819 841 938
Freelance 521 374 451 480
Employee/Freelance -- -- 104 109

Female 83% 84% 85% 83%
Male 17% 16% 15% 16%
Prefer not to answer -- -- -- 1%
Age (mean)
All Employee 44 45 45 46
Freelance Only 48 50 50 52

<2 14% 11% 8% 7%
2-5 20% 20% 25% 26%
6-10 28% 25% 25% 19%
>10 38% 43% 42% 49%

All Employee 9 11 11 11
Freelance Only 13 15 17 15

Bachelor's 36% 28% 21% 21%
Master's 34% 34% 32% 32%
Advanced Degree 30% 38% 40% 46%

Science
includes biology, medical technology, health sciences, and nutrition 40% 44% 50% 47%
English -- -- 9% 9%
Medicine 4% 4% 5% 5%
Pharmacy 5% 5% 4% 5%
Journalism 5% 5% 4% 4%
Communications 4% 4% 4% 3%
Liberal Arts 11% 11% 4% 3%
Medical Writing -- -- 4% 2%

Years of Medical Writing Experience (mean)

% Highest Level of Education

% Field of Highest Degree

All Respondents'' 
Demographics: 2007-2019

Number of Respondents

Gender

% Years of Medical Writing Experience

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AMWAJournal.org     6AMWA: Who We Are

reported that they were AMWA members. About two-thirds 

(66.1%) of the respondents were employed by a company, 

similar to the 2015 survey (65.1%), whereas the remain-

ing one-third were freelancers (Table 2). When asked to 

describe their employer, 19.4% of all employee respondents 

indicated they had worked for a pharmaceutical company, 

14.4% had worked for a medical communication company, 

and 13.8% had worked for a clinical or contract research 

organization. Most employee respondents indicated that 

the main area in which they had worked was regulatory 

writing (40.8%) or scientific publication (24.8%).

 Most respondents were female (83.4%) (Table 1). The 

average age of all respondents was about 48 years. The aver-

age age for employees was 46 years, whereas for freelancers it 

was 52 years. More than half of respondents were 45 years or 

older, and only 12.6% were younger than 35 years (Figure 1).

 The average time spent working for pay as a medical 

communicator for all respondents was 12 years. Nearly half 

(48.9%) of all respondents had greater than 10 years of expe-

rience as a paid medical communicator (Figure 2), with 

an average of 12.4 years. Employees averaged 10.9 years of 

experience, whereas freelancers averaged 15.4 years.

 Most respondents held a doctoral-level degree (46%), 

such as a PhD, MD, or PharmD, or a master’s degree (32%) 

as their highest level of education (Figure 3). These percent-

ages were similar between employees and freelancers. Nearly 

half of all respondents had their highest degree in the field  

of science (47.2%), which included biology, chemistry,  

medical technology, health sciences, and nutrition, whereas 

9% had their highest degree in in English; these proportions 

were similar to those observed in the 2015 survey. Employees 

(50.4%) more often had their highest degree in science than 

freelancers (41 %) (Table 3 on next page).

 Overall, about one-fifth of respondents (22.6%) held 

the AMWA Essential Skills certificate. Among all respon-

dents, the certificate was held for an average of 8.6 years. 

Freelance respondents (10.4 years) held the certificate 

longer on average than employees (7.6 years). When asked 

about certifications, 41.1% of respondents reported they 

held the Editor in the Life Sciences (ELS) certification, 

17.2% held the Certified Medical Publication Professional 

certification, 11.7% held the Medical Writer Certified  

Table 2. Type of Employment, 2015 and 2019

Figure 1. Age of all respondents, 2019.  n= 1,394. Source: AMWA 
2019 Compensation Survey.

Figure 2. Years of experience as a medical communicator for  
all respondents, 2019.  n= 1,414. Source: AMWA 2019 Compensation 
Survey.

Figure 3. Highest level of education for all respondents, 2019.  
n= 1,415. Source: AMWA 2019 Compensation Survey.

1144

 An online survey was used to collect responses 
from AMWA members and nonmembers. 
Overall, 1,418 responses were received of 
which about four-fifths (81.3%) responded that 
they were members. About two-thirds (66.1%) 
of the respondents were employees, similar to 
their share in the 2015 survey (65.1%).  

Nearly half (48.9%) of all respondents had greater 
than 10 years of experience as a paid medical 
communicator, with an average of 12.4 years. 
Employees averaged 10.9 years of experience while 
freelances averaged 15.4 years. 

Slightly more than eight in 10 respondents were 
AMWA members. More than half (54.6%) reported 
that they had not completed the AMWA Salary 
Survey in 2015, while 22.3% reported that they had 
completed it; 23.1% did not remember. 

Approximately two-thirds of respondents were 
employees and one-third were freelances. 

More than half of the response pool was 45 years or 
older; only 12.6% were younger than 35 years.  

AMWA Membership
All Respondents

Yes
81.3%

No
18.7%

Source: AMWA 2019 Compensation Survey n=1,404

Employment Status
All Respondents

Employee
66.1%

Freelance
33.9%

Source: AMWA 2019 Compensation Survey n=1,418

Employees 938 66.1% 841 65.1%
Freelance 480 33.9% 451 34.9%
Freelance Employees 109 11.6% 104 13.8%
Percentage of employees and freelances are based on total respondents
Percentage of freelance employees is based on count of employees

2019 2015

Survey Participants:
2015 & 2019

1144

 An online survey was used to collect responses 
from AMWA members and nonmembers. 
Overall, 1,418 responses were received of 
which about four-fifths (81.3%) responded that 
they were members. About two-thirds (66.1%) 
of the respondents were employees, similar to 
their share in the 2015 survey (65.1%).  

Nearly half (48.9%) of all respondents had greater 
than 10 years of experience as a paid medical 
communicator, with an average of 12.4 years. 
Employees averaged 10.9 years of experience while 
freelances averaged 15.4 years. 

Slightly more than eight in 10 respondents were 
AMWA members. More than half (54.6%) reported 
that they had not completed the AMWA Salary 
Survey in 2015, while 22.3% reported that they had 
completed it; 23.1% did not remember. 

Approximately two-thirds of respondents were 
employees and one-third were freelances. 

More than half of the response pool was 45 years or 
older; only 12.6% were younger than 35 years.  

AMWA Membership
All Respondents

Yes
81.3%

No
18.7%

Source: AMWA 2019 Compensation Survey n=1,404

Employment Status
All Respondents

Employee
66.1%

Freelance
33.9%

Source: AMWA 2019 Compensation Survey n=1,418

Employees 938 66.1% 841 65.1%
Freelance 480 33.9% 451 34.9%
Freelance Employees 109 11.6% 104 13.8%
Percentage of employees and freelances are based on total respondents
Percentage of freelance employees is based on count of employees

2019 2015

Survey Participants:
2015 & 2019

55 years or 
older

31.6%

Younger than 35 years
12.6%

35–44 years
30.2%

45–54 years
25.5%

1144

 An online survey was used to collect responses 
from AMWA members and nonmembers. 
Overall, 1,418 responses were received of 
which about four-fifths (81.3%) responded that 
they were members. About two-thirds (66.1%) 
of the respondents were employees, similar to 
their share in the 2015 survey (65.1%).  

Nearly half (48.9%) of all respondents had greater 
than 10 years of experience as a paid medical 
communicator, with an average of 12.4 years. 
Employees averaged 10.9 years of experience while 
freelances averaged 15.4 years. 

Slightly more than eight in 10 respondents were 
AMWA members. More than half (54.6%) reported 
that they had not completed the AMWA Salary 
Survey in 2015, while 22.3% reported that they had 
completed it; 23.1% did not remember. 

Approximately two-thirds of respondents were 
employees and one-third were freelances. 

More than half of the response pool was 45 years or 
older; only 12.6% were younger than 35 years.  

AMWA Membership
All Respondents

Yes
81.3%

No
18.7%

Source: AMWA 2019 Compensation Survey n=1,404

Employment Status
All Respondents

Employee
66.1%

Freelance
33.9%

Source: AMWA 2019 Compensation Survey n=1,418

Employees 938 66.1% 841 65.1%
Freelance 480 33.9% 451 34.9%
Freelance Employees 109 11.6% 104 13.8%
Percentage of employees and freelances are based on total respondents
Percentage of freelance employees is based on count of employees

2019 2015

Survey Participants:
2015 & 2019

>10 years
48.9%

2–5 years
25.8%

6–10 years
18.7%

<2 years
6.5%

1155

The average age for employees was 46 years and about 52 for freelances. Freelances also had more years of 
experience as paid medical communicators than employees—15.4 years and 10.9, respectively. 

As their highest level of education 
obtained, one-fifth of the respondents had 
a bachelor’s degree and 46.0% had an 
advanced degree (PhD+Other advanced 
degree). These percentages were not 
different between employees and 
freelances.  

Employee Freelance
2019 46.0 51.5
2015 44.9 50.1
2019 10.9 15.4
2015 10.8 16.6

All Respondents
Age and Years of Experience:

2015 & 2019

Age (Mean)

Years of Experience (Mean)

Note there was a slight difference in the wording of the question for experience from one survey wave to the next

Associate's 
Degree or Less 

and Other
Bachelor's 

Degree
Master's 
Degree

Advanced 
Degree* Count

All Respondents 1.7% 20.7% 31.6% 46.0% 1,415
Employee 1.6% 21.0% 32.0% 45.4% 937
Freelance 2.1% 20.1% 30.8% 47.0% 478

All Respondents
Highest Level of Education: 2019

*Advanced Degree includeds PhD, MD, PharmD, and Other Advanced Degree

Other
1.8%

Other advanced 
degree
8.6%

PhD
37.4%

Bachelor's degree
20.7%

Master's degree
31.6%

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AMWAJournal.org     7AMWA: Who We Are

certification, and one-third of respondents held other  

certifications (Figure 4). The ELS was held most often by 

those having a bachelor’s degree as their highest degree 

(51.5%).

 More than two-fifths of respondents (44.1%) had worked 

in regulatory writing in the pharmaceutical, biotechnol-

ogy, or device industry during their career. Of those who 

worked in regulatory writing, 77.7% had written clinical 

study reports (CSRs), 74.4% had written study protocols, 

64.7% had written investigator brochures, 63.5% had writ-

ten regulatory responses or briefing documents, and 60.0% 

had written summary documents for supplemental drug 

submissions during their career (Figure 5). On average, a 

medical communicator who had worked in regulatory writ-

ing had written 32.8 nonclinical/discovery and chemistry, 

manufacturing, and controls (CMC) documents, 28.3 CSRs, 

and 28.3 study protocols during 

their career. On average, freelance 

respondents had written more CSRs, 

study protocols, investigator bro-

chures, and summary documents 

for drug submissions in their careers 

than their employee counterparts, 

whereas employees had written more 

nonclinical/discovery and CMC doc-

uments and aggregate reports than 

freelance respondents.

CONCLUSIONS
One key takeaway from AMWA’s 

Medical Communication 

Compensation Survey is that medi-

cal communicators are a highly edu-

cated group of professionals, with 

nearly half of respondents reporting 

that they have an advanced degree. 

The high level of education among 

AMWA members and other medical 

communicators indicates a commit-

ment to continuous learning. A new 

content strategy plan was developed 

following the 2019 survey with goals 

that included aligning AMWA’s edu-

cational offerings with the needs 

of the membership and fulfilling 

AMWA’s mission. In developing the 

content strategy, AMWA relied on 

data from the compensation survey, 

other surveys of the membership, 

and other data sources. One criti-

cal data source is the demographic 

information collected through 

AMWA member profiles, such as 

gender, race, highest level of educa-

tion, primary workplace, and areas of 

professional focus. These online pro-

files may be accessed by members 

Nearly half the respondents (47.2%) indicated science as the field of their highest degree followed by English 
(9.0%). Employees were more likely to have their highest degree in science than freelance respondents—50.4% 
compared to 41.0%. 

Overall, only one-fifth (22.6%) held the 
AMWA Essential Skills certificate. Of 
those respondents, on average, the 
certificate was held for 8.6 years. 
Freelance respondents who earned the 
AMWA Essential Skills certificate have 
held it, on average, for 10.4 years, and 
employees who earned it have held it, 
on average, for 7.6 years.  

All Respondents
(1,418)

Employee
(938)

Freelance
(480)

Business 2.2% 2.0% 2.5%
Communication 3.0% 3.2% 2.5%
Education 1.2% 1.2% 1.3%
English 9.0% 9.6% 7.9%
Health care administration 0.5% 0.6% 0.2%
Journalism 3.5% 3.4% 3.8%
Liberal arts 2.9% 3.0% 2.7%
Medical writing 2.1% 1.9% 2.5%
Medicine 5.3% 3.8% 8.1%
Nursing 1.6% 1.0% 2.7%
Pharmacy 5.3% 4.4% 7.1%
Public health 3.5% 3.6% 3.1%
Science 
Includes biology, chemistry, health science,  
medical technology, and nutrition 47.2% 50.4% 41.0%
Technical writing 1.8% 1.5% 2.3%
Other 11.0% 10.3% 12.3%

All Respondents
Fields of Highest Degree: 2019

AMWA Essential Skills Certificate
All Respondents

Yes
22.6%

No
77.4%

Source: AMWA 2019 Compensation Survey n=1,405

Table 3. Field of Highest Degree, 2019

When asked about 
certifications, two-fifths 
(41.1%) of respondents held 
the ELS certification and one-
third held “other” 
certifications. The CMPP was 
earned by 17.2% of all 
respondents and 11.7% held 
the MWC. The ELS was held 
more often by those having a 
bachelor’s degree as their 
highest degree (51.5%). 

More than eight in 10 respondents were female 
and 16.0% were male. Less than 1% answered that 
they preferred not to answer this question. 

More than four in 10 respondents (44.1%) had 
worked in regulatory writing in the pharmaceutical, 
biotechnology, or device industry during their 
career. 

Gender
All Respondents

Female
83.4%

Male
16.0%

Prefer not to 
answer

0.6%

Source: AMWA 2019 Compensation Survey n=1,409

Have Worked in Regulatory Writing
in Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology or Device Industry

All Respondents

Yes
44.1%

No
55.9%

Source: AMWA 2019 Compensation Survey n=1,418

Certifications
All Respondents

2.9%

5.5%

11.7%

17.2%

33.3%

41.1%

CHCP (Certified Healthcare Professional)

RAC (Regulatory Affairs Certification)

MWC (Medical Writer Certified)

CMPP (Certified Medical Publication
Professional)

Other certificates

ELS (Editor in the Life Sciences)

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0%
Source: AMWA 2019 Compensation Survey n=384Figure 4. Certifications for all respondents, 2019.  n= 384. Source: AMWA 2019 Compensation Survey.

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AMWAJournal.org     8AMWA: Who We Are

Of those who worked in regulatory 
writing, about three-fourths had 
authored clinical study reports 
(77.7%) and study protocols 
(74.4%), and around six in 10 had 
authored investigator brochures 
(64.7%), regulatory responses or 
briefing documents (63.5%), and 
summary documents for new or 
supplemental drug submissions 
(60.0%) during their career. On 
average, a medical communicator 
who had worked in regulatory 
writing would have authored 32.8 
nonclinical/ discovery and CMC 
documents and 28.3 study 
protocols or clinical study reports 
during their career. On average, 

freelance respondents have authored more clinical study reports, study protocols, investigator brochures, and 
summary documents for new or supplemental drug submissions in their careers than their employee counterparts, 
whereas employees have authored more nonclinical/ discovery and CMC documents and aggregate reports than 
freelance respondents. 

When asked to describe their employer in 2018, one-fifth (19.4%) of all employee respondents indicated working 
for a pharmaceutical company, and one in seven worked for a medical communications company (14.4%) or a 
clinical or contract research organization (13.8%). Four in 10 employee respondents (40.8%) indicated that the 
main area in which they work was regulatory writing, and about one-fourth (24.8%) worked in scientific 
publications. Likewise, one-fifth of all freelance respondents said that the client providing the highest percentage 
of their income was a medical communications company (21.7%) or a pharmaceutical company (19.1%). As for 
the area of work earning the greatest percentage of income, nearly a quarter of all freelances selected regulatory 
writing (23.4%) followed by scientific publications (21.0%).  

20.6%

32.2%

35.3%

60.0%

63.5%

64.7%

74.4%

77.7%

Aggregate reports (generally postmarketing)

Nonclinical/discovery and CMC documents

Other document

Summary documents for new or supplemental
drug submissions

Regulatory responses or briefing documents

Investigator brochures

Study protocols

Clinical Study Reports

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%

12.2
n=302

28.3
n=337

16.2
n=283

18.7
n=292

32.8
n=145

17.2
n=86

28.3
n=354

No. of Documents
(average)

Source: AMWA 2019 Compensation Survey n=583 *check all applyFigure 5. Documents authored during career for all respondents who had worked in regulatory writing, 2019 (check all 
that apply).  n= 583. CMC=chemistry, manufacturing, and controls. Source: AMWA 2019 Compensation Survey.

at any time by logging into the AMWA website. By keeping 

member profiles up to date, members can support AMWA’s 

mission of promoting excellence in medical communication 

and providing educational resources in support of that goal.

Author declaration and disclosures: The author notes no  
commercial associations that may pose a conflict of interest in 
relation to this article.

Author contact: ekukielka@citrushealthgroup.com 

Keep your AMWA Member Profile up to date.
Help us understand more about you!

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role as a medical writer?

How would you describe your  
primary workplace/client?

What is your primary  
professional area of focus?

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professional areas of focus?

What is your primary  
responsibility in your work?

Where do you live (city, state, country)?

What is the highest level of  
education completed?

What credentials or degrees  
do you have?

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