Miss USA 2025 was the 74th Miss USA pageant, held at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, on October 24, 2025. This marked the first edition under the direction of Thomas Brodeur, who acquired the franchise.
At the conclusion of the event, Miss Universe 2024, Victoria Kjær Theilvig, of Denmark crowned Audrey Eckert of Nebraska as Miss USA 2025. This was Nebraska's second Miss USA title and the first since 2018. She represented the United States at Miss Universe 2025, which took place on November 21, 2025, in Thailand November 20 in the United States, and placed in the Top 30. The outgoing titleholder, Alma Cooper from Michigan, did not attend the event for personal reasons, the first time since 1953 where the outgoing titleholder did not crown her immediate successor.
Contestants from fifty states and the District of Columbia competed in the competition. It was presented by Miss USA 2015, Olivia Jordan and Emmanuel Acho. For the first time since the pageant became independent from Miss Universe in 1965, the event was not televised on any major American television network. Instead, it was broadcast exclusively on the streaming provider Queen Beauty Network, and is the only event not to be aired on a broadcast television network.
Background
Location On September 15, 2025, it was announced that the competition would take place at Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. This was the fourth time that the pageant was held in Reno following Miss USA 2019, 2022 and 2023, and the third time in four years holding the pageant in the city, resumed its three-year deal had originally secured in 2022 under the ownership of then-national director and Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart.
Selection of contestants As in the previous year, women over 28 were permitted to participate in the pageant.
The selection of contestants for the state pageants began in January 2025 and concluded in September 2025. The first state pageant took place in Connecticut on January 26, 2025, while the last state pageants were held in Alabama and Louisiana. These events, initially scheduled for September 21, 2025, were moved a day earlier to avoid coinciding with the open call deadline for the eight unrepresented states.
Appointed contestants Several states in the competition could not hold traditional state pageants and instead appointed titleholders via an open casting call conducted by the national organization. These appointees had not won state competitions but were selected to ensure full national representation following leadership and licensing changes within the Miss USA Organization.Parent, Tabitha (September 16, 2025). "Miss USA 2025 Announces Pageant's Return After Leadership Shakeup". People. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
Results
Placements Placement ContestantMiss USA 2025 Nebraska – Audrey Eckert1st Runner-Up New Jersey – Ivy Harrington2nd Runner-Up Oregon – Chantéa McIntyre3rd Runner-Up Texas – Taylor Lauren Davis4th Runner-Up Nevada – Mary SicklerTop 10 Alabama – Kennedy Whisenant Florida – Lou Schieffelin Georgia – Savannah Miles Oklahoma – Zoe Ferraro Vermont – Victoria ChuahTop 20 Arkansas – Olivia Halsey§ Idaho – Jenny Ting Crawford§ Louisiana – Francie Millan Maine – Shelby Howell Missouri – Shae Smith New Hampshire – Mona Lesa Brackett Rhode Island – Brianna Vega§ South Carolina – Gallienne Nabila§ Tennessee – Madison Kunst Wisconsin – Aneisha Cox § Voted into the Top 20 by viewers
Special awards AwardContestantMiss Photogenic Maine – Shelby HowellChelsi Smith Congeniality Award Delaware – Tetra ShockleyBest in State Costume Missouri – Shae SmithPreliminary Best in Swimsuit Nebraska – Audrey Eckert
Pageant Format
The process for determining the semi-finalists was similar to the previous one. The preliminary competition consisted of three segments: the swimsuit competition, the evening gown competition, and a closed-door interview. These identified the first 16 semi-finalists who advanced after the initial cut.
For the first time there was internet voting. The four contestants with the most votes automatically advanced to the semifinals.
Then, the remaining 20 semi-finalists participated in the swimsuit competition, from which 10 were selected to move forward. These 10 then competed in the evening gown competition, narrowing it down to five finalists. Finally, the five finalists faced the final question round, after which the winner of Miss USA 2025 and her runners-up were announced.
Judges Nia Sanchez — Miss USA 2014 from Nevada, first runner-up Miss Universe 2014 Sasha Farber — Professional dancer and four-time finalist on Dancing with the Stars Jade Roper Tolbert — TV personality from The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise Hannah Edwards — Modelling scout for agencies including Elite, Next, and Wilhelmina Kenneth Barlis — Fashion designer and founder of the luxury brand Kenneth Barlis
Contestants Fifty-one contestants competed for the title. State/DistrictContestantAgeHometownNotesAlabamaKennedy Whisenant24BirminghamAlaskaKelsey Craft34AnchoragePreviously Miss International U.S. 2017ArizonaElexes Richardson30ScottsdaleArkansasOlivia Halsey25JonesboroCaliforniaKylie Chang21CupertinoColoradoSydney Hella†26DenverPreviously Miss Earth USA Air 2024Crowned Miss Earth USA Air 20253rd runner-up at Miss Minnesota USA 2025Connecticut24FairfieldDelawareTetra Shockley44CamdenThe oldest person to compete at Miss USADistrict of ColumbiaAllison LaForce26Washington, D.C.Previously Miss Maryland’s Outstanding Teen 2016FloridaLou Schieffelin25Winter ParkPreviously Miss Florida Teen USA 2018Top 10 at Miss Teen USA 2018GeorgiaSavannah Miles24AtlantaPreviously Miss Georgia Teen USA 2018Top 10 at Miss Teen USA 2018HawaiiIssha Rose Mata30HiloIdahoJenny Ting Crawford†37Huntington Beach, CA1st runner-up at Miss California USA 2025IllinoisNikolina Vujcic23Des PlainesIndianaSydney Shrewsbury24IndianapolisIowaHayley Buettell27MediapolisKansasAsia Cymone Smith26WichitaKentuckyMattie Barker22Bowling GreenPreviously Miss Kentucky Teen USA 2020LouisianaFrancie Millan23New OrleansMaineShelby Howell25BangorMarylandLexia Gillette29Chevy ChaseMiss Earth Massachusetts USA 2021MassachusettsPerianne Caron26BostonMichiganMichele Lewandoski23Norton ShoresMinnesotaMegan Rivera25Prior LakeMississippiMcKenzie Cole19VicksburgPreviously Miss Mississippi Teen USA 2022Missouri Shae Smith 22 BolivarPreviously Miss Missouri's Outstanding Teen 20194th runner-up at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2020Previously Miss Missouri Teen USA 2022MontanaJuliana Wilson†36Nashville, TN1st runner-up at Miss Montana USA 2024NebraskaAudrey Eckert23LincolnPreviously Miss Nebraska Teen USA 20203rd runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2020NevadaMary Sickler23Las VegasFirst woman to compete in Miss USA with alopeciaLater 1st runner-up at Miss World America 2026Represented United States at Miss World 2026New HampshireMona Lesa Brackett†36New York City, NYFirst woman to compete at Miss USA to wear a hijab and burkini2nd runner-up at Miss New York USA 2025New JerseyIvy Harrington30NeptuneNew MexicoDominique Ehrl Lugo31Santa FeNew YorkChristiana DiNardo27RochesterNorth CarolinaLourdes Madera39RaleighNorth DakotaOlivia Redding21BurlingtonYoungest sister of Miss North Dakota USA 2019 Samantha ReddingOhioHannah Klein33CincinnatiOklahomaZoe Ferraro25BixbyPreviously Miss Oklahoma Teen USA 2018OregonChantéa McIntyre†43San Joaquin, CATop 16 semifinalist at Miss California USA 2025PennsylvaniaRica Clements29YorkRhode IslandBrianna Vega29ProvidenceSouth CarolinaGallienne Nabila28GreerSouth DakotaMegan Hiykel20BrookingsTennesseeMadison Kunst27NashvilleTexas Taylor Lauren Davis26DallasUtahElle Hinojosa 24Salt Lake CityVermontVictoria Chuah†25Ashburn, VAPreviously Miss Virginia 20224th runner-up at Miss Virginia USA 2025Semifinalist at Miss New York USA 2025VirginiaErin Houston27TysonsWashingtonCarisa Erickson†38SeattleCompeted at Miss Arizona USA 2025 West Virginia Erin Wellman24 PrincetonWisconsinAneisha Cox23Green BayWyomingEilish Young†29Spring, TXTop 19 at Miss Texas USA 20252nd runner-up at Miss West Virginia USA 2025 † The chosen delegate was appointed from an Open Casting Call
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