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.
Grace Khachaturian of Champaign was crowned Miss Illinois 2018 on June 9, 2018 at Marion Cultural Arts & Civic Center in Marion, Illinois. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2019 on September 9, 2018 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
The year in parentheses indicates the year of the Miss America competition the award/placement was garnered. Awards received by contestants competing as Miss Chicago are denoted with a "*".
| Year | Name | Hometown | Age | Local Title | Miss America Talent | Placement at Miss America | Special scholarships at Miss America | Notes | | 2018 | Grace Khachaturian[1] | Champaign | 21 | Miss Capital City | Lyrical Dance, "You Raise Me Up" | Previously Miss Illinois' Outstanding Teen 2012[2] |
| 2017 | Abby Foster[3] | Danville | 21 | Miss East Central | Jazz Dance, Grease medley | Top 15[4] | America's Choice[4] | Currently an Indianapolis Colts cheerleader[5] |
| 2016 | Jaryn Franklin[6] | East Moline | 23 | Miss Blackhawk Valley | Vocal "Dream A Little Dream of Me" | STEM Scholarship Award |
| 2015 | Crystal Davis | Anna | 22 | Miss Southern Illinois | Vocal "That's Life" |
| 2014 | Marisa Buchheit[7] | Chicago | 24 | Miss Chicago | Operatic Vocal "Je veux vivre" from Roméo et Juliette |
| 2013 | Brittany Smith | Elmhurst | 23 | Miss Northern Suburbs | Irish Step Dancing "Lord of the Dance" |
| 2012 | Megan Jo Ervin[2] | Rushville | 23 | Miss Quincy | Dance "Faithfully" | Top 10 | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2011 |
| 2011 | Hannah Smith[8] | Huntley | 20 | Miss Windy City | Ballet en Pointe "Palladio" | Top 10 |
| 2010 | Whitney Thorpe-Klinsky | New Baden | 22 | Miss River to River | Tap Dance "On the Dance Floor" |
| 2009 | Erin O'Connor | Evergreen Park | 20 | Miss Macomb | Ballet en Pointe "I Wanna Dance with Somebody Remix" |
| 2008 | Katie Lorenz | Chicago | 24 | Miss Chicago | Lyrical Dance "Footprints in the Sand" |
| 2007 | Ashley Hatfield[9] | Anna | 24 | Miss Heartland | Vocal "To Love You More" |
| 2006 | Heidi Ekstrom | Mundelein | 24 | Miss Kane County | Ballet en Pointe "Ride" |
| 2005 | Lauren Allen | Batavia | 21 | Miss Western Suburbs | Freestyle Gymnastics "Rhythm of the Night" |
| 2004 | Michelle LaGroue | Naperville | 24 | Miss Chicago | Vocal "I Know the Truth" from Aida | Previously held the title of Miss Illinois in 2002 after Erika Harold was named Miss America 2003 |
| 2003 | Andrea Fritz | Schaumburg | 21 | Miss Chicago | Lyrical Dance "Dance With My Father" |
| 2002 | Michelle LaGroue | Naperville | Miss Tinley Park | N/A | Assumed the title after Harold was named Miss America 2003 |
| Erika Harold | Urbana | 22 | Miss Land of Lincoln | Classical Vocal "Habanera" | Winner | Preliminary Interview Award
Preliminary On-stage Interview Award
Overall Interview Award |
| 2001 | Kristin Castillo | Macomb | 18 | Miss Macomb | Classical Violin "Praeludium & Allegro" |
| 2000 | Jenny Powers | Andover, Massachusetts | 21 | Miss Northern Illinois | Classical Vocal "Quando me'n vo'" | Preliminary Talent Award
Non-finalist Talent Award | Was eligible to compete for Miss Illinois as a student at Northwestern University |
| 1999 | Jade Smalls | Evanston | 21 | Miss Chicago | Classical Piano "Etude in C Minor" | 1st runner-up |
| 1998 | Amanda Jo Meadows | Sycamore | 20 | Miss Macomb | Baton "1-2-3 Maria" | Non-finalist Talent Award |
| 1997 | Ashley Eisenhauer | Herrin | N/A | Assumed the title after Shindle was named Miss America 1998 |
| Katherine Shindle | Evanston | 20 | Miss Lake-Cook | Vocal "Don't Rain on My Parade" | Winner | Preliminary Talent Award |
| 1996 | Tania Gibson | Lake Barrington | 19 | Miss Fox River Valley | Vocal "As If We Never Said Goodbye" from Sunset Boulevard |
| 1995 | Tracy Hayes | Wheaton | 22 | Miss Greater DuPage County | Vocal, "Tonight" | 4th runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit Award |
| 1994 | Chuti Tiu[10] | Chicago | 24 | Miss Kankakee | Classical Piano | Non-finalist Talent Award | Previously America's Junior Miss 1987[11] |
| 1993 | Sara Martin[12] | Schaumburg | 20 | Miss Schaumburg | Vocal, "Hello, Young Lovers" | Non-finalist Talent Award | Previously America's Junior Miss 1990[13] |
| 1992 | Kathleen Farrell | Chicago | 23 | Miss Kankakee | Classical Piano, "Danza No. 5" | Non-finalist Talent Award | Sister of Miss New York 1984, Mary-Ann Farrell and Miss Florida 1985, Monica Farrell
Later Miss Illinois USA 1994 |
| 1991 | Cheryl Majercik | Niles | 26 | Miss Chicago | Classical Vocal "O Mio Babbino Caro" | Non-finalist Talent Award
Quality of Life Award |
| 1990 | Jaclyn Greer | Granite City | Miss Madison County | N/A | Assumed the title after Vincent was named Miss America 1991 |
| Marjorie Vincent | Oak Park | 25 | Miss Kankakee | Classical Piano "Fantaisie-Impromptu" | Winner | Preliminary Talent Award |
| 1989 | Jeri Lynn Zimmermann | Evanston | 21 | Miss Northwestern University | Vocal "On My Own" | 3rd runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | Voyager{{Citation needed>date=April 2017}} |
| 1988 | Dawn Spicuzza | Collinsville | 22 | Miss Bethalto | Vocal "If I Loved You" |
| 1987 | Cindi Hodgkins | Schaumburg | 22 | Miss Chicago | Vocal Medley "My Man" & "But the World Goes Round" |
| 1986 | Lisa Heussner | Pekin | 21 | Miss Pekin | Dramatic Interpretation "Emily Dickinson, Portrait of a Poet" |
| 1985 | Karen Moncrieff | Chicago | 21 | Miss Northwestern University | Popular Vocal "Through the Eyes of Love" from Ice Castles | Toured with 1986 Miss America USO Troupe |
| 1984 | Ruth Booker | Chicago | 21 | Miss Chicago | Vocal "Kiss Me In the Rain" |
| 1983 | Rebecca Bush | Chicago | 24 | Miss Chicago | Vocal "It's My Turn" | Jake and the Fatman{{Citation needed>date=April 2017}} |
| 1982 | Jaleigh Jeffers | Mt. Carmel | 21 | Miss Southern Illinois | Piano Solo "Bumble Boogie" |
| 1981 | Sandra Truitt | Evanston | 25 | Miss North Shore | Classical Vocal "Près des remparts de Séville" from Carmen | 1st runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award |
| 1980 | Blythe Sawyer | Naperville | 22 | Miss Chicago | Classical Vocal "The Jewel Song" from Faust | Non-finalist Talent Award |
| 1979 | Elizabeth Russell | Pekin | 20 | Miss Heart of Illinois | Classical Vocal "O Luce di Quest'Anima" from Linda di Chamounix | Assumed Miss Illinois title after original winner, Shanna McNeill, was stripped of the title[14][15] |
| 1978 | Debra Carlson | Ottawa, Illinois | 19 | Miss Ottawa | Flute Solo "Carnival of Venice" | Non-finalist Talent Award |
| 1977 | Nancy Beatty | Avon | 22 | Miss Macomb | Classical Vocal "Voices of Spring" |
| 1976 | Betsy Jamison | Mundelein | 24 | Miss Mundelein | Popular Vocal "Who Will Buy?" from Oliver! |
| 1975 | Jean Waters | Tuscola | 22 | Miss Crossroads Country | Gymnastic Dance / Trampoline "High School Cadets" |
| 1974 | Jean Ahern | Hinsdale | 21 | Miss Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills | Ballet en Pointe "Kitri's Variation" from Don Quixote | 2nd runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award |
| 1973 | Colleen Metternich | Carthage | 23 | Miss Heart of Illinois | Piano Solo "Variations on a Twelve Note Theme" | Top 10 | Preliminary Talent Award | Toured with Miss America USO Troupe |
| 1972 | Carolyn Paulus | Elmhurst | 20 | Miss Macomb | Classical Vocal "Glitter And Be Gay" from Candide |
| 1971 | Anita Pankratz | Chicago | 21 | Miss Chicago | Vocal / Piano "Someone to Watch Over Me" |
| 1970 | Lynn Alexander | Loami | 18 | Miss Springfield | Classical Vocal "Vissi d'arte" |
| 1969 | Dulcie Scripture | Elgin | 20 | Miss Elgin | Piano Solo "Khachaturian's Toccata" | Non-finalist Talent Award |
| 1968 | Sharon Mitchell | Westchester | 19 | Miss Bellwood-Westchester | N/A | Assumed the title after Ford was named Miss America 1969 |
| Judith Ford | Belvidere | 18 | Miss Boone County | Acrobatic Dance & Trampoline Act "The Blue Danube" | Winner | Preliminary Swimsuit Award
Preliminary Talent Award |
| 1967 | Kathryn Myers | Aurora | 20 | Miss Fox Valley | Dramatic Reading "Ion" |
| 1966 | Mary Lee Inzerello | Elk Grove | 19 | Miss Quincy | Modern Dance |
| 1965 | Kathleen Oros | Granite City | 20 | Miss Granite City | Popular Vocal "Just You Wait" from My Fair Lady |
| 1964 | Patricia Quillen | North Aurora | 21 | Miss Geneva | Clarinet Solo | date=April 2017}} |
| 1963 | Judith Schlieper | Decatur | Miss Decatur | Siamese Dance |
| 1962 | Donnalyn Freund | Winnetka | 20 | Miss Chicago | Vocal "I Enjoy Being a Girl" | Non-finalist Talent Award | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Pamela Gilbert | Carbondale | 21 | Miss Illinois | Dramatic Reading | Preliminary Swimsuit Award |
| 1961 | Nancy Kesler | Oak Park | 18 | Miss Chicago | Modern Dance | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Jacqueline Bingert | Winthrop Harbor | 21 | Miss Illinois | Tap Dance & India Ink Sketching |
| 1960 | Margaret McDowell | Evanston | 21 | Miss Chicago | Dramatic Reading | Non-finalist Talent Award | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Vicky Joyce Nutter | Vandalia | 18 | Miss Illinois | Presentation of Fashion Designs | Non-finalist Talent Award |
| 1959 | Carol Rubin | Chicago | 18 | Miss Chicago | Modern Jazz Dance | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Suzanne Ingeborg Johnson | Chicago | 21 | Miss Illinois | Vocal "Hello, Young Lovers" | Top 10 | Preliminary Talent Award |
| 1958 | Audra Deckmann | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Dance | Non-finalist Talent Award | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Anita Ruth Olson | River Forest | Miss Illinois | Piano "Brahms' Rhapsody in G Minor" |
| 1957 | Bette Lieb | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Dramatic Monologue from Romeo and Juliet | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Jeannie Beacham | Downers Grove | Miss Illinois | Drama "The Great Debates" |
| 1956 | Sandra Jean Stuart | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Water Ballet Video Presentation | Top 10 | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Tillie Micheletto | Collinsville | Miss Illinois | Vocal |
| 1955 | Florence Gallagher | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Semi-classical Vocal "Love Is Where You Find It" | 2nd runner-up | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Marian Elizabeth Cox | Oak Park | Miss Illinois | Vocal "If I Loved You" |
| 1954 | Regina Dombeck | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Dramatic Monologue from Mary of Scotland by Maxwell Anderson | Top 10 | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Patsy Bruce | Carbondale | Miss Illinois | Drama | Miss Congeniality |
| 1953 | Carol Segermark | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Vocal | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Jacquie Dumbauld | Alton | Miss Illinois | Piano / Dance |
| 1952 | Jo Hoppe | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Tap Dance | 4th runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Glenna Marie Pohly | Rock Falls | Miss Illinois | Flute |
| 1951 | Adrianne Falcon | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Vocal & Dance | Top 10 | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Doris King | Granite City | Miss Illinois | Dance |
| 1950 | Marjorie Adams | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Monologue "To the Lovely Margaret" | Top 16 | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Catherine Kleinschmidt | Granite City | Miss Illinois | Vocal "Come to the Fair" |
| 1949 | Teresa Giorgian | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Vocal "Jealousy" | Top 15 | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Trudi Germi | Chicago | Miss Illinois | Classical Vocal "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix" | 2nd runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit Award |
| 1948 | Lois Nettleton | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Dramatic Monologue from Saint Joan | Top 15 | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Viola Ruth Hutmacher | Quincy | Miss Illinois | Classical Vocal "Italian Street Song" |
| 1947 | Joan Hiatt | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Vocal "Kiss In the Dark" | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Maree Evans | Joliet | Dress Design & Art |
| 1946 | Cloris Leachman | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Comic Sketch "One Man Radio Program" | Top 16 | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Patricia Frye | Pekin | Miss Illinois | Vocal / Tap Dance "I Don't Know Why I Love You Like I Do" | Top 16 |
| 1945 | Lee Mercer Wieland | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Monologue "A Lesson With a Fan" | Top 13 | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Beverly Long | Joliet |
| 1944 | Elaine Steinbach | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Vocal "You'll Never Know" | 3rd runner-up | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Betty June King | Bloomington, Illinois | Miss Illinois | Acrobatic Dance "Stardust" | Top 12 |
| 1943 | Marjorie Nelson | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Rhythmic Ballet | Top 10 | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Dorothy Belle Kohrt | Ottawa, Illinois | Miss Illinois |
| 1942 | Bette Brunk | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Hula "Hawaiian War Chant" | 1st runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Patricia Hayes | Rochelle, Illinois | Miss Illinois | Dramatic Recitation | Top 10 |
| 1941 | No Illinois representative at Miss America pageant |
| 1940 |
| 1939 | Ethel Lorraine Lodbell | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Monologue "From the Diary of a Contestant" | Top 15 | No Miss Illinois
Competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| 1938 | No Illinois representative at Miss America pageant |
| 1937 |
| 1936 | Genevieve Anderson | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Arlene Causey | Chicago | Miss Cook County | 3rd runner-up | Best Model |
| Virginia Moeller | Springfield |
| 1934-1935 | No Illinois representative at Miss America pageant |
| 1933 | Lillian Kroner | 18 | N/A | Disqualified because she resided in St. Louis, Missouri |
| 1928-32 | No Illinois representative at Miss America pageant |
| 1927 | Myrtle Valsted | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Gladys Vile | Danville | Miss Danville |
| Lois Delander | Joliet | 16 | Miss Illinois | Winner |
| Anna G. Bernard | Springfield | Miss Springfield |
| 1926 | Mae Greene | Chicago | Miss Chicago | No Miss Illinois
Competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| 1925 | Margarita Gonzales | Chicago | Miss Chicago | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Lucille Burns | Elgin | Miss Elgin |
| 1924 | Margaret Leigh | Chicago | Miss Chicago | 4th runner-up | Multiple Illinois representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Virginia Lipscomb | Decatur | Miss Decatur |
| 1923 | Corinne Dellefield | Chicago | Miss Chicago | No Miss Illinois
Competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| 1922 | Georgia Hale | Chicago | Miss Chicago | No Miss Illinois
Competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| 1921 | No Illinois representative at Miss America pageant |
1. ^{{cite web|first= Mary |last=Cooley |title=Miss Illinois 2018 to compete in first Miss America contest without swimsuit competition |work=Belleville News-Democrat |url=https://www.bnd.com/news/state/article212909354.html |date= June 10, 2018}}
2. ^1 {{cite web|first= Justin |last=Walker |title=Ervin named Miss Illinois 2012 |work=Marion Republican |url=http://www.dailyrepublicannews.com/article/20120702/news/307029915 |date= July 2, 2012}}
3. ^{{cite web| title=Oakwood grad crowned Miss Illinois|publisher=The News-Gazette |url=http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2017-06-17/oakwood-grad-crowned-miss-illinois.html|date=June 17, 2017}}
4. ^1 {{cite web|first = Jennifer |last= Bailey |url=http://www.commercial-news.com/news/local_news/foster-makes-top-at-miss-america-pageant/article_620305b3-7c27-535f-a067-dc9ba70f6bcc.html|publisher= Commercial News|title=Foster makes Top 15 at Miss America pageant|date=September 12, 2017}}
5. ^{{cite web| title=Top of the Morning, June 16, 2017 |publisher=The News-Gazette |url=http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2017-06-16/top-morning-june-16-2017.html|date=June 16, 2017}}
6. ^{{cite web|url=http://pageantsnews.com/jaryn-franklin-miss-illinois-2016/|title=Jaryn Franklin is Miss Illinois 2016 |publisher=pageantsnews.com }}
7. ^Associated Press. {{cite news|title=Aspiring Chicago singer crowned Miss Illinois |publisher=Daily Herald|url=http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140616/news/140618842/}} June 16, 2014.
8. ^{{cite news|title=Miss Windy City crowned Miss Illinois|url=http://thesouthern.com/news/local/article_164847a6-a531-11e0-9651-001cc4c002e0.html|publisher=The Southern|date=July 3, 2011}}
9. ^{{cite news|title=Downstater crowned Miss Illinois |publisher=Daily Herald|url=http://www.dailyherald.com/story.asp?id=327943|date=2007-07-01|first=Nancy|last=Gier|accessdate=2007-07-01}}
10. ^{{cite news |first=Al Carlos |last=Hernandez |title=Chuti Tiu, a Pageant Queen turned serious actor |url=http://www.heralddeparis.com/chuti-tiu-a-pageant-queen-turned-serious-actor/ |work=Herald de Paris |date=October 23, 2011}}
11. ^{{cite news |first=Garry |last=Mitchell |title=America’s Junior Miss Title Goes To Wisconsin Pianist |url=https://www.apnews.com/64a335df5cdf526ef08f5cf3819e885b |work=Associated Press |date=June 21, 1987}}
12. ^{{cite news |first=Etelka |last=Lehoczky |title=Miss Illinois |url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/miss-illinois/Content?oid=884778 |work= Chicago Reader |date=June 16, 1994}}
13. ^{{cite news |first= |last= |title=Confidence won beauty title |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/doylestown-intelligencer-jul-17-1990-p-21/ |work=Doylestown Intelligencer |date=July 17, 1990}}
14. ^{{cite news|title=People Potpurri|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1243&dat=19790816&id=ndlYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=__YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6604,1470276|publisher=The Bulletin|date=Aug 16, 1979}}
15. ^{{cite news|title=Shanna McNeill talks about her short reign as Miss Illinois. |url=http://www30.us.archive.org/stream/obeliskii1980sout/obeliskii1980sout_djvu.txt}}