Miss USA: What you need to know about the competition, eligibility and controversies

It’s almost time to crown the next Miss USA.

The famous pageant has had a tumultuous few years, with accusations of fixing, allegations of sexual harassment and two queens relinquishing their crowns – a first in the organization’s 73-year history. Now, Thom Brodeur, the new CEO and president of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA, hopes to launch a new era.

But what is the story behind the pageant that introduced the world to Halle Berry and Olivia Culpo, and who is allowed to compete?

We have the answers to all your questions ahead of the October 24 show.

What is Miss United States?

Miss USA all started with a swimsuit.

When Yolande Betbeze, winner of Miss America 1951, refused to pose for photos in a swimsuit, Catalina – a swimsuit company sponsoring the pageant – created its own competition. A year later, Jackie Loughery became the very first Miss USA. That same year the first Miss Universe pageant took place.

The Miss USA competition consists of three rounds: swimsuit, evening gown and interview. Unlike Miss America, which offers scholarships as part of its package, the winner of Miss USA typically receives $100,000 for a year-long reign that involves numerous appearances and speaking engagements across the country. The Miss USA Organization has always emphasized philanthropy, allowing titleholders to advocate for their cause or charity of choice during their reign.

Each winner also participates in the annual Miss Universe pageant. Nine Americans have won Miss Universe, the most of any country. Venezuela is in second place with seven victories.

Who owns the Miss USA pageant?

The Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, and Miss Universe pageants were run by the Miss Universe Organization until 2020. Donald Trump owned the Miss Universe Organization from 1996 to 2015. He sold the company to Endeavor after NBC dropped the show following remarks he made about Mexican immigrants while announcing his 2016 presidential campaign.

In 2020, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA were franchised by Crystle Stewart, who won Miss USA in 2008. The Miss Universe Organization still oversees each national pageant that sends delegates to Miss Universe and has the final say if any problems arise. So this is the organization that suspended Stewart in October 2022 amid allegations that the Miss USA pageant was rigged that year.

Although the Miss Universe Organization said it found no evidence of rigging during its investigation, Stewart and the organization parted ways in August 2023. Laylah Rose was named the next president of Miss USA.

Endeavor also sold the Miss Universe organization to Anne Jakrajutatip and her Thailand-based company, JKN Global Group, in October 2022.

On September 16, the Miss Universe Organization announced that Thom Brodeur was replacing Rose as the new president and CEO of Miss USA. Jakrajutatip’s company, JKN Universe, is suing Rose’s company, VVV Global Ent., over its management of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA.

Who is eligible to compete at Miss USA?

The eligibility rules for the Miss USA pageant have changed dramatically in recent years. In 2023, the pageant began allowing married women and mothers to compete, which is still not allowed in the Miss America pageant.

All women ages 18 and older are now eligible to compete at Miss USA (the age limit was 28 until 2024). Women ages 14 to 19 can compete at Miss Teen USA. Once you win a state pageant, you can only compete once for the title of Miss USA or Miss Teen USA.

Miss USA contestants are allowed to get tattoos or plastic surgery. There are also no height requirements.

Who won Miss USA?

The current Miss USA is Alma Cooper, a United States Army officer and graduate of West Point, Michigan.

Texas holds the record for the most Miss USA winners. Ten women have won the crown in the Lone Star State, which had a five-year winning streak from 1985 to 1989. Eighteen states have never won a Miss USA pageant, including Alaska, Colorado, Florida and Oregon.

The youngest Miss USA in history is Myrna Hansen, who was 17 when she won the crown in 1953. R’Bonney Gabriel is the oldest winner on record, winning the title at age 28 in 2022.

The list of Miss USA winners has become more diverse in recent decades. Miss USA 1962 Macel Wilson was the first woman of color and the first Asian American to win the title, while Miss USA 1985 Laura Martinez-Herring was the first Hispanic winner. In 1990, Carole Gist became the first black woman to win, and Miss USA 2010 Rima Fakih Slaiby was the first Middle Eastern woman to win the crown.

Gabriel was the first Filipino American to win Miss USA, while Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt was the first Venezuelan American to hold the title.

Why is Miss USA controversial?

The dust had barely settled from the scandals of 2022 when Miss USA found herself in the headlines again. In May 2024, Voigt announced that she was relinquishing her crown. Two days later, Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava followed suit.

Both women gave few details about their resignations, citing nondisclosure agreements they had to sign to compete in 2023. But their mothers, Jackeline Voigt and Barbara Srivastava, told Business Insider at the time that their daughters suffered “eight months of torture and abuse” under Rose’s leadership as Miss USA president and CEO. Rose has denied the allegations.

In his official resignation letter, Voigt said he was diagnosed with anxiety related to managing symptoms — including “heart palpitations, full body tremors, hair loss” — that developed “from being constantly on edge, worrying about what Laylah will appear with and choosing to harass me daily.”

“It is devastating and unacceptable that my mind and body have been so horribly affected by the treatment I received from the current leadership of Miss USA,” she added in the letter.

Following Voigt’s resignation, more than 40 Miss USA 2023 contestants issued a shared statement on Instagram demanding that she be released from the NDA. Miss Colorado Arianna Lemus also resigned in a show of support, and Miss Teen USA first runner-up Stephanie Skinner declined to assume the title from Srivastava.

“One thing I will never give up is my character, nor my integrity,” Skinner told Business Insider at the time.

After the resignations of Voigt and Srivastava, the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA 2024 pageants went ahead as planned, and Cooper and Addie Carver were crowned the respective winners in August of that year.

JKN’s lawsuit alleges that Rose’s company, VVV Global Ent., failed to pay Cooper her $100,000 salary as Miss USA and failed to give Carver her $10,000 Miss Teen USA scholarship. He notes that Rose is VVV’s only employee.

The complaint also states that the Miss Universe Organization was unable to find a U.S. broadcaster to air the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants because of Rose’s “public scandals.”

Voigt told Business Insider that she “felt vindicated” by the lawsuit.

“The facade is collapsing enormously,” she added.

When will the next Miss USA pageant take place?

The 74th annual Miss USA pageant will take place October 24 at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, with 51 women competing for the crown.

The Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants will be streamed on the Queen Beauty Network.