Hays gave up his cabinet position on January 14, 1922. He become President of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), when it first began. This group now handles the well-known voluntary film rating system. He began his new job, at a $35,360 () annual salary, on March 6 of that year. There was talk that he would be paid between $100,000 and $150,000 a year.