If you want more pay hikes, move to these cities By Michael Sauter, 24/7 Wall St. For the second quarter in a row, average salaries across the country have increased dramatically -- the first sustained improvement since the recession. For full-time non-government employees, salaries climbed an average of 4.2 percent, according to a recent report by PayScale. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the five metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the PayScale Index that saw the greatest increase in salaries between 2007 and 2011 to determine why salaries are increasing in these cities the most. The cities that have seen salaries rise the most have economies that benefited from booming technology and energy industries. According to Katie Bardano, an economist at Payscale, "Cities that have proven to be real winners over the last 5 years in terms of wage growth are those that have a strong presence of well-performing industries and job families, such as technology, energy, oil and gas, and scientific research. Like most places in the U.S., these cities did experience a fall in pay levels during the Great Recession, but have climbed their way back up to the top faster and are in fact experiencing pay levels above their previous peaks in Q4 2008. 24/7 Wall St."s independent analysis shows that these cities have heavy representation in these key industries. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, four out of the five cities that performed the best were major centers for medical research, technology and education. All of these job categories have among the fastest-growing salaries, according to PayScale. The last city, Houston, has a massive energy sector, which is one of the most important economic drivers in the country. Not surprisingly, the cities that have seen the biggest increases in salaries also have among the highest median incomes. Because many of the businesses in these areas continue to prosper, they are able to pay more. Also, the job categories heavily represented in these cities, including technology, research and energy, are generally higher paying. Washington D.C., which makes our list, has the highest median household income of any MSA in the country. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 5-Year PayScale Index Change: +5.6% Median household income: $58,095 Poverty rate: 12.7% Unemployment: 8.1% Since the first quarter of 2007, the PayScale Index in the Philadelphia area has increased 5.6 percent. After the Second World War, Philadelphia transitioned from a largely industrial city to one with a diverse range of jobs in growing sectors. The City of Brotherly Love has a large number of jobs in hospitals, the pharmaceutical industry and biomedical research. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, just under one in five jobs are in education or health services.The median household income of $58,095 is nearly $10,000 more than the average for MSAs. Median household income: $50,912 Poverty rate: 13.3% Unemployment: 8.2% St. Louis" economy is not in perfect shape. While median household income and poverty are above average, the unemployment rate is 8.2 percent, which is the 20th highest among cities with a population of one million or more. Nevertheless, the city's PayScale Index has increased 5.6 percent since the first quarter of 2007. St. Louis is a major center for pharmaceutical research, and Fortune identified it as "among the regional hubs in the United States for both agricultural and health care biotechnology." According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 15 percent of jobs are in education and health services. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 5-Year PayScale Index Change: +6.2% Median household income: $63,088 Poverty rate: 11.7% Unemployment: 8% Seattle is widely considered one of the most economically healthy of the major cities in the U.S. Median income is $63,088, substantially higher than most of the country, and poverty and unemployment are below the national average as well. Besides energy, Seattle has an excellent cross-section of vibrant industries. According to PayScale, job categories that have seen some of the largest salary increases in the past five years are in healthcare, science and biotechnology, and information technology -- all significant parts of Seattle's economy. Since the first quarter of 2007, salaries have increased 6.2 percent in the MSA. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 5-Year PayScale Index Change: +6.4% Median household income: $84,523 Poverty rate: 8.4% Unemployment: 5.4% According to PayScale, the top three categories in the country for salary growth in the past five years are science and biotechnology, healthcare, and social services. Very few major cities in the U.S. have more jobs in these fields than the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria MSA. Some 11 percent of the jobs there are in education and health services, while 22 percent are in government. According to City-data.com, "Washington is a magnet for growth industries, such as paper products, telecommunications, information and computer firms, and many service industries, especially tourism and hospitality firms." Around 10 percent of all Fortune 500 companies are based in the area. The MSA also has a median household income of $84,523, the highest in the country. Pat Sullivan / AP file Powering Houston's pay. The area has had the highest pay growth in the past five years, according to a recent report, thanks to the energy industry. Houston-Baytown-Sugarland, TX 5-Year PayScale Index Change: +6.8% Median household income: $53,942 Poverty rate: 16.5% Unemployment: 7.6% Most of the cities that have seen large salary increases are major research centers, with a substantial portion of their economies based in the growing biotechnology, education, and health services sectors. The Houston-Baytown-Sugarland MSA has had the greatest growth in the PayScale Index over the last five years, but for a different reason. No industry has had higher salary growth on a national level than mining, oil, and gas exploration, which has seen an increase of 8.6 percent since Q1 2007. Houston has one of the most energy-centric economies in the U.S. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 17 percent of the jobs there are in trade, transportation and utilities.