In the last year, where did wages increase the most overall and where did they dip the deepest? PayScale looked at the top metro areas by population and then listed them from best to worst in terms of wage improvement for jobs. See who came out on top and who has a ways to go.
| Rank | Metro Area | Q3 2018 Year-Over-Year Wage Growth |
| 1 | San Francisco | 2.7% |
| 2 | Pittsburgh | 1.7% |
| 3 | Boston | 1.6% |
| 4 (tie) | Los Angeles | 1.5% |
| Minneapolis | 1.5% | |
| Washington, DC | 1.5% | |
| 7 (tie) | Atlanta | 1.4% |
| San Diego | 1.4% | |
| 9 | San Jose | 1.3% |
| 10 (tie) | Baltimore | 1.2% |
| New York | 1.2% | |
| Seattle | 1.2% | |
| Raleigh | 1.2% | |
| 14 (tie) | Chicago | 1.0% |
| Miami | 1.0% | |
| 16 | Denver | 0.8% |
| 17 | Nashville | 0.7% |
| 18 (tie) | Kansas City | 0.6% |
| St. Louis | 0.6% | |
| 20 | Portland | 0.5% |
| 21 | Tampa | 0.3% |
| 22 (tie) | Houston | 0.1% |
| Philadelphia | 0.1% | |
| Phoenix | 0.1% | |
| 25 (tie) | Charlotte | -0.1% |
| Cleveland | -0.1% | |
| 27 (tie) | Dallas | -0.2% |
| Milwaukee | -0.2% | |
| Orlando | -0.2% | |
| 30 | Detroit | -0.7% |
| 31 | Cincinnati | -1.1% |
| 32 | Austin | -1.4% |
| Rank | Metro Area | Q3 2018 One Year Wage Growth |
| 1 | San Francisco | 2.7% |
| 2 | Pittsburgh | 1.7% |
| 3 | Boston | 1.6% |
| 4 (tie) | Los Angeles | 1.5% |
| Minneapolis | 1.5% | |
| Washington, DC | 1.5% | |
| 7 (tie) | Atlanta | 1.4% |
| San Diego | 1.4% | |
| 9 | San Jose | 1.3% |
| 10 (tie) | Baltimore | 1.2% |
| New York | 1.2% | |
| Seattle | 1.2% | |
| Raleigh | 1.2% | |
| 14 (tie) | Chicago | 1.0% |
| Miami | 1.0% | |
| 16 | Denver | 0.8% |
| 17 | Nashville | 0.7% |
| 18 (tie) | Kansas City | 0.6% |
| St. Louis | 0.6% | |
| 20 | Portland | 0.5% |
| 21 | Tampa | 0.3% |
| 22 (tie) | Houston | 0.1% |
| Philadelphia | 0.1% | |
| Phoenix | 0.1% | |
| 25 (tie) | Charlotte | -0.1% |
| Cleveland | -0.1% | |
| 27 (tie) | Dallas | -0.2% |
| Milwaukee | -0.2% | |
| Orlando | -0.2% | |
| 30 | Detroit | -0.7% |
| 31 | Cincinnati | -1.1% |
| 32 | Austin | -1.4% |