Miss USA 1974
Miss USA 1974, the 23rd Miss USA pageant, was televised live by CBS from Niagara Falls, New York on May 18, 1974.
The pageant was won by Karen Morrison of Illinois, who was crowned by outgoing titleholder Amanda Jones, also of Illinois. Morrison was the fourth woman from Illinois to win the Miss USA title, and went on to place as a semi-finalist at Miss Universe 1974. Coincidentally, first runner up at Miss USA 1973 was Miss New York. It happened again at Miss USA 1974 when Miss New York was first runner up with both winner from Illinois.
Results
Placements
| Final Results | Contestant |
| Miss USA 1974 |
|
| 1st Runner-Up |  New York – Barbara Cooper |
| 2nd Runner-Up |  Wisconsin – Mary Cook |
| 3rd Runner-Up |  California – Gayle Gorrell |
| 4th Runner-Up |  North Carolina – Marcia Burton |
| Top 12 |  Arizona – Carlys Peterson District of Columbia – Robin Utterback Florida – Cynthia Zach Louisiana – Karen Hoff Missouri – Dorothy McAlveen Nevada – Linda Dryden South Dakota – Debra Ann Brickley |
Illinois – Special awards
Historical significance
- Illinois wins competition for the fourth time and twice in a row.
- New York earns the 1st runner-up position for the fifth time. The last time it placed this was in 1973. It reaches the same position as the two previous year.
- Wisconsin earns the 2nd runner-up position for the first time and it reaches its highest placement ever at the contest.
- California earns the 3rd runner-up position for the third time. The last time it placed this was in 1962.
- North Carolina earns the 4th runner-up position for the first time.
- States that placed in semifinals the previous year were Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana and New York.
- California placed for the eighteenth consecutive year.
- Florida placed for the sixth consecutive year.
- District of Columbia placed for the fifth consecutive year.
- Louisiana and New York placed for the third consecutive year.
- Arizona and Illinois made their second consecutive placement.
- North Carolina last placed in 1972.
- Missouri last placed in 1971.
- Nevada last placed in 1970.
- Wisconsin last placed in 1967.
- South Dakota last placed in 1958.
Delegates
- Alabama - Wyna Lavas
- Alaska - Cindy Dickerson
- Arizona - Carlys Peterson
- Arkansas - Gina Huddle
- California - Gayle Gorrell
- Colorado - Connie Larsen
- Connecticut - Valerie Cappello
- Delaware - Cheryl Fetkenher
- District of Columbia - Robin Utterback
- Florida - Cynthia Zach
- Georgia - Vicki Ross
- Hawaii - Joan Ottensmeyer
- Idaho - Darla Jan Dowden
- Illinois - Karen Morrison
- Indiana - Lisa Childress
- Iowa - Susan Thompson
- Kansas - Lorraine Breckenridge
- Kentucky - Charlesy Gulick
- Louisiana - Karen Hoff
- Maine - Rebecca Titcomb
- Maryland - Mary Jo Ruppert
- Massachusetts - Esthellean Hicks
- Michigan - Patty Loftis
- Minnesota - Gayle Johnson
- Mississippi - Denise Clark
- Missouri - Dorothy McAlveen
- Montana - Carol Aalseth
- Nebraska - Mary Wolff
- Nevada - Linda Dryden
- New Hampshire - June Tedeschi
- New Jersey - Pat Sims
- New Mexico - Jan Nilsson
- New York - Barbara Cooper
- North Carolina - Marcia Burton
- North Dakota - Judy Waltz
- Ohio - Kay Phillips
- Oklahoma - Yugonda Willits
- Oregon - Peggy Ann Gerding
- Pennsylvania - Dorisann Gatalski
- Rhode Island - Debra Cerroni
- South Carolina - Lynn Hollis
- South Dakota - Debra Ann Brickley
- Tennessee - Brin Hendrix
- Texas - Debra Cronin
- Utah - Halene Petersen
- Vermont - Donna Thornton
- Virginia - Hazel Thomas
- Washington - Cheryl Rutledge
- West Virginia - Kim Nuzum
- Wisconsin - Mary Cook
- Wyoming - Debbie Petty