I'm gonna call it for what it is, a mistake during the writing process. There is no way a man in such a position of power at an airport would have made so little, even when adjusted for 2004 dollars. I literally googled this quote to see if anyone else had raised the topic because of how ridiculous it sounded.

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Really old thread but the movie really missed the mark on what the CBP Field Commissioner would make. Quick google research shows that the position may have been incorrectly referenced or has changed in title since the movie was made in 2004. The "Kennedy Airport Airlines Management Council" website (
http://www.kaamco.org/main/?page_id=319
) shows that Susan Mitchell is CBP's Port Director at JFK. In 2014, Susan Mitchell earned a salary of $181,500 based on the Executive Schedule (ES).
http://www.fedsdatacenter.com/federal-pay-rates/index.php?n=mitchell&l=NEW+YORK+-+QUEENS&a=CUSTOMS+AND+BORDER+PROTECTION&o=&y=2014

Enterprise rent-a-car is the #1 hirer of collage grads in the US. They only hire those with a degree. They pay $12hr. Welcome to the real world.

Yeah, there wasn't much grasp on financial accuracy. He got a hamburger for $0.74 and a Hugo Boss suit for less than 150.in the airport where everything is more expensive.

he did a quick tax free calculation in his head after Fed State NYC tax SS med insurance pension retirement maybe Dixon takes home less than $19 times 40 $760/week

Here's the thing most of you are missing. Tucci's character probably works well over 40 hours a week. However, a position like his is a salary position so he doesn't get paid per hour. So he could be making a good amount of money but when you break down the number of hours he works in a year, the per hour rate is lower.
YOU NAILED IT! Many "supervisors" are paid a flat rate and wind up working 50-60 hours a week, so, they make "less per hour" than their underlings!
And, they know what they are "making" per hour.
Happens all the time. That's how organizations can afford good supervisors. If they paid by the hour, no one could afford them. So, they would have to settle for lesser managers. Somehow, it works.

Here's the thing most of you are missing. Tucci's character probably works well over 40 hours a week. However, a position like his is a salary position so he doesn't get paid per hour. So he could be making a good amount of money but when you break down the number of hours he works in a year, the per hour rate is lower.

Haha I was trying to work that out too, he seems to be in a very powerful position. So very hard to believe hes actually making less than $19 an hour.
Ashmi
any
question

Hahaha

I wouldn't get out of bed for $19 per hour.
Must be nice to be full of yourself.

I wouldn't get out of bed for $19 per hour.
RIP Maj Richard D.Winters 1918-2011
RIP House 2004-2012
RIP LOST 2004-2010

American salaries don't make sense to any other developed countries, like their use of imperial measurement.
In Canada such an administrator would make a hell of a ton more.
Those foolish enough to move from canada to america increase the average I.Q. of both countries

Don't forget Viktor's salary was not taxed unlike administrator. So after inflation and addin taxes it's higher.
Peter Markoff
If you don't like my english, write it to me in my own language.

Good point. He lives there, so technically, hes probably doing some kind of work all the time.

Assuming 40 hrs a week is probably not a good assumption to make

and he's making $19/hr sans taxes.
His namewas Julio Iglesias!

I live in the 3rd safest country in the world! Yes, I don't get a shoot when I leave my door to work, like in the US.
I live in the European Best Destination of the Year for the last three years. My country is considered one of the country's with a better lifestyle in the world, no stress, best gastronomy (Mediterranean) on the planet and one of the cheapest places to eat.
My country have the oldest navy on the planet, the same navy that discovered South America, oh yea, was not a Italian like they teach you, Italians didn't even had ships back in the days.
And I'm proud to say my country have financial difficulties, by then I know, my country is not killing innocent people (Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Vietnam, ect) in the name of democracy and peace, just to get there resources to buy me a lifestyle.
Guess you got schooled son.

Not everyone lives in a third world country like you, where there is no electricity or running water.
Wendy? Darling? Light, of my life!

I get 2,50 - ~$3 without the taxes, working 40H a week in a factory. That is ~500 in the end of the month and is enough for me to live, and have fun

Dixon wasn't an airport administrator. He was a CBP director. Also, you can't compare based on the national average. He was stationed at JFK, one of the biggest, busiest airports in the country. Wages for any profession are higher than average in NYC.

Adjusted for inflation, that's about $46,000 a year now, which averages out to $23 an hour today, assuming a 40 hour work week. So while it's on the low side, it's not absurdly low, since Airport Administrators make about $59,000 a year according to this site: http://www.simplyhired.com/a/salary/search/q-Airport+Administrator
~j~