From 1952 to the early 1960s, there was no rule that stated that if Miss USA won Miss Universe then the 1st runner-up would take over.
| Year |
Titleholder |
State |
Notes |
| 1952 |
Jackie Loughery |
New York |
|
| 1953 |
Myrna Hansen |
Illinois |
|
| 1954 |
Miriam Jacqueline Stevenson |
South Carolina |
Miss Universe 1954 |
| 1955 |
Carlene King Johnson |
Vermont |
|
| 1956 |
Carol Laverne Morris |
Iowa |
Miss Universe 1956 |
| 1957 |
Mary Leona Gage |
Maryland |
married; mother; dethroned |
| 1957 |
Charlotte Sheffield |
Utah |
1st runner-up; became Miss USA |
| 1958 |
Eurlyne Howell |
Louisiana |
|
| 1959 |
Terry Lynn Huntingdon |
California |
|
| 1960 |
Linda Bement |
Utah |
Miss Universe 1960 |
| 1961 |
Sharon Renee Brown |
Louisiana |
|
| 1962 |
Macel Leilani Wilson |
Hawaii |
|
| 1963 |
Marite Ozers |
Illinois |
|
| 1964 |
Bobbie Johnson |
District of Columbia |
|
| 1965 |
Susan "Sue" Ann Downey |
Ohio |
|
| 1966 |
Maria Judith Remenyi |
California |
|
| 1967 |
Sylvia Louise Hitchock |
Alabama |
Miss Universe 1967 |
| 1967 |
Cheryl Ann Patton |
Florida |
2nd runner-up; became Miss USA |
| 1968 |
Dorothy "Didi" Catherine Anstett |
Washington |
|
| 1969 |
Wendy Jane Dascomb |
Virginia |
|
| 1970 |
Deborah "Debbie" Rale Shelton |
Virginia |
|
| 1971 |
Michele McDonald |
Pennsylvania |
|
| 1972 |
Tanya Wilson |
Hawaii |
|
| 1973 |
Amanda Jones |
Illinois |
|
| 1974 |
Karen Jean Morrison |
Illinois |
|
| 1975 |
Summer Robin Bartholomew |
California |
|
| 1976 |
Barbara Peterson |
Minnesota |
|
| 1977 |
Kimberly "Kim" Louise Tomes |
Texas |
|
| 1978 |
Judi Lois Andersen |
Hawaii |
|
| 1979 |
Mary Therese Friel |
New York |
|
| 1980 |
Shawn Nichols Weatherly |
South Carolina |
Miss Universe 1980 |
| 1980 |
Jineane Ford |
Arizona |
1st runner-up; became Miss USA |
| 1981 |
Kimberly "Kim" Kay Seelbrede |
Ohio |
|
| 1982 |
Terri Lea Utley |
Arkansas |
|
| 1983 |
Julie Lynne Hayek |
California |
|
| 1984 |
Mai Therese Shanley |
New Mexico |
|
| 1985 |
Laura Elena Martinez-Herring |
Texas |
|
| 1986 |
Christiane "Christy" Crane Fitchner |
Texas |
|
| 1987 |
Michelle Renee Royer |
Texas |
|
| 1988 |
Courtney Ann Gibbs |
Texas |
|
| 1989 |
Gretchen Polhemus |
Texas |
|
| 1990 |
Carole Ann Marie Gist |
Michigan |
|
| 1991 |
Kelli McCarty |
Kansas |
|
| 1992 |
Shannon LeRhea Marketic |
California |
|
| 1993 |
Kenya Summer Moore |
Michigan |
|
| 1994 |
Frances Louise "Lu" Parker |
South Carolina |
|
| 1995 |
Chelsi Pearl Smith |
Texas |
Miss Universe 1995 |
| 1995 |
Shanna Moakler |
New York |
1st runner-up; became Miss USA |
| 1996 |
Ali Landry |
Louisiana |
|
| 1997 |
Brook Mehealani Lee |
Hawaii |
Miss Universe 1997 |
| 1997 |
Brandi Sherwood |
Idaho |
1st runner-up; became Miss USA |
| 1998 |
Shawnae Nicole Jebbia |
Massachusetts |
|
| 1999 |
Kimberly Ann Presler |
New York |
|
| 2000 |
Lynnette Cole |
Tennessee |
|
| 2001 |
Kandace Gayle Krueger |
Texas |
|
| 2002 |
Shauntay R. Hinton |
District of Columbia |
|
| 2003 |
Susie Cintron Castillo |
Massachusetts |
|
| 2004 |
Shandi Finnessey |
Missouri |
|
| 2005 |
Chelsea Cooley |
North Carolina |
|
| 2006 |
Tara Elizabeth Conner |
Kentucky |
|
| 2007 |
Rachel Renee Smith |
Tennessee |
|
| 2008 |
Crystle Stewart |
Texas |
|