Miss Illinois
The Miss Illinois is a pageant program affiliated with Miss America, which is competition for women models representing the state of Illinois.
The first "Miss Illinois" sent to the national pageant was Lois Delander who subsequently won the Miss America title. Including Delander, five Miss Illinois representatives have won the Miss America title.
Nitsaniyah Fitch of Chicago was crowned Miss Illinois 2025 on June 28, 2025, at the Marion Cultural Arts & Civic Center in Marion, Illinois. She competed at Miss America 2026 in September 2025.
Results summary
The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Illinois titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.Awards received by contestants competing as Miss Chicago at the national pageant are denoted with a "*".
Placements
- Miss Americas: Lois Delander, Judith Ford, Marjorie Vincent, Katherine Shindle, Erika Harold
- 1st runners-up: Bette Brunk*, Sandra Truitt, Jade Smalls
- 2nd runners-up: Trudi Germi, Florence Gallagher*, Jean Ahern
- 3rd runners-up: Arlene Causey, Elaine Steinbach*, Jeri Zimmermann
- 4th runners-up: Margaret Leigh, Jo Hoppe*, Tracy Hayes
- Top 10: Patricia Hayes, Marjorie Nelson*, Adrianne Falcon*, Regina Dombeck*, Sandra Jean Stuart*, Suzanne Ingeborg Johnson, Colleen Metternich, Hannah Smith, Megan Jo Ervin, Isabelle Hanson
- Top 11: Monica Nia Jones, Nitsaniyah Fitch
- Top 12: Betty June King
- Top 13: Lee Mercer Wieland*
- Top 15: Ethel Lorraine Lodbell, Lois Nettleton*, Teresa Giorgian*, Abby Foster
- Top 16: Patricia Frye, Cloris Leachman*, Marjorie Adams*
Awards
Preliminary awards
- Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness: Bette Brunk*, Trudi Germi, Jo Hoppe*, Sandra Stuart*, Pamela Gilbert, Judith Ford, Jeri Zimmermann, Tracy Hayes, Megan Jo Ervin
- Preliminary Talent: Suzanne Ingeborg Johnson, Judith Ford, Colleen Metternich, Jean Ahern, Sandra Truitt, Marjorie Vincent, Katherine Shindle, Jenny Powers, Isabelle Hanson
- Preliminary Interview: Erika Harold
- Preliminary On-Stage Interview: Erika Harold
- Preliminary Evening Gown: Nitsaniyah Fitch
Non-finalist awards
- Non-finalist Talent: Audra Deckmann*, Margaret McDowell*, Vicky Joyce Nutter, Donnalyn Freund*, Dulcie Scripture, Debra Carlson, Blythe Sawyer, Cindi Hodgkins, Cheryl Majercik, Kathleen Farrell, Sara Martin, Chuti Tiu, Amanda Jo Meadows, Jenny Powers
Other awards
- Miss Congeniality: Patsy Bruce
- America's Choice: Abby Foster, Monica Nia Jones
- Charles & Theresa Brown Scholarship: Marisa Buchheit, Jessica Tilton
- Equity & Justice Scholarship Award Finalists: Ariel Beverly
- Overall Interview Award: Erika Harold
- Miss America award winners#Jean Bartel [Quality of Life / Social Impact Initiative Scholarship award|Quality of Life Award] Winners: Cheryl Majercik
- STEM Scholarship Award Winners: Jaryn Franklin
- AHA Go Red for Women Leadership Award Regional Winner: Nitsaniyah Fitch
Winners