Miss New Jersey USA
The Miss New Jersey USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New Jersey in the Miss USA pageant. It is produced by D&D Productions.
New Jersey has had only moderate success at Miss USA, and has yet to win the Miss USA title. New Jersey's best streak was from 1989 to 1991 when they had two 2nd runners-up and one 1st runner-up in a row. Two years later, another Miss New Jersey USA placed in the finals, but they have only had one other placement since then. Then in 2008, Tiffany Andrade came along and finished as 2nd runner up, one of three Miss New Jersey USAs to place third at Miss USA. The last great placement, and the highest it has made in the 2010s, was in the year 2017 with the 1st runner-up placement achieved by Miss New Jersey USA 2017, Chhavi Verg.
Four Miss New Jersey USA titleholders have held the Miss New Jersey Teen USA title and two have competed at Miss America.
Gina Mellish of Oceanport was crowned Miss New Jersey USA 2020 on November 24, 2019 at Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City. She will represent New Jersey for the title of Miss USA 2020.
Gallery of titleholders
Results summary
Placements
- 1st runners-up: Charlotte Ray, Chhavi Verg
- 2nd runners-up: Deborah Lee Husti, Karin Hartz, Tiffany Andrade
- Top 6: Amy Fissel
- Top 10: Ruth Jane Hampton, Jennifer Makris, Michelle Leonardo, Alexa Noone
- Top 12: Cathy Russell, Juanita McCarty
- Top 15: Dolores Winfield, Sandy Chudy, Diane Gierson, Barbara Richartz
- Top 19: Evelyn Orowitz
- Top 20: Emily Shah
Awards
- Miss Congeniality: Lisa Summeroury-Perry, Charlotte Ray
Winners
| Year | Name | Hometown | Age1 | Placement at Miss USA | Special awards at Miss USA | Notes |
| 2020 | Gina Mellish | Oceanport | 20 | TBA | TBA | Previously Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2016 |
| 2019 | Manya Saaraswat | Morganville | 21 | Born in India | ||
| 2018 | Alexa Noone | Bayonne | 23 | Top 10 | ||
| 2017 | Chhavi Verg | Edison | 19 | 1st runner-up | Born in India | |
| 2016 | Jessielyn Palumbo | Wayne | 23 | |||
| 2015 | Vanessa Oriolo | Colts Neck | 21 | |||
| 2014 | Emily Shah | Edison | 18 | Top 20 | Previously Miss Teen India 2011 and first runner up at Miss Teen World 2011. Opened Super Bowl XLVIII in New Jersey. | |
| 2013 | Duran | Keasbey | 22 | Born in Dominican Republic Previously Miss Comunidad Dominicana en Estados Unidos 2010 and 3rd Runner-Up at Miss Dominican Republic 2010 | ||
| 2012 | Michelle Leonardo | Tinton Falls | 20 | Top 10 | Previously Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2008 | |
| 2011 | Julianna White | Haddon Township | 21 | Previously Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2006 | ||
| 2010 | Chenoa Greene | Atco | 24 | |||
| 2009 | Kaity Rodriguez | Clifton | 24 | |||
| 2008 | Tiffany Andrade | Linden | 22 | 2nd runner-up | ||
| 2007 | Erin Abrahamson | Essex Fells | 23 | Successor to crown; Previously Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2001; Later Mrs. New Jersey 2015 | ||
| 2007 | Ashley Harder | Marlton | 20 | Resigned due to pregnancy | ||
| 2006 | Jessica Boyington | Sicklerville | 20 | Is now NBC 10 Philadelphia's morning traffic reporter. | ||
| 2005 | Sylvia Pogorzelski | East Hanover | 20 | YouTube personality Grace Helbig placed 7th in this competition | ||
| 2004 | Janaye Ingram | Cherry Hill | 25 | |||
| 2003 | Vanessa Baker | Marlton | 23 | |||
| 2002 | Robin Williams | Lawrenceville | ||||
| 2001 | Jeannette Josue | Jersey City | ||||
| 2000 | Michelle Graci | Jamesburg | ||||
| 1999 | Melissa McLaughlin | Cinnaminson | ||||
| 1998 | Kelli Paarz | Linwood | Previously Miss New Jersey Teen USA 1994, top 12 in Miss Teen USA 1994 | |||
| 1997 | Jennifer Makris | Cranbury | 23 | Top 10 | Previously Miss New Jersey 1994, 2nd runner up at Miss America 1995 | |
| 1996 | Christina Augustyn | Woodbridge | 24 | |||
| 1995 | Christy Joy Pittner | Ventnor | ||||
| 1994 | Rosa Velez | Newark | ||||
| 1993 | Amy Fissel | Ocean City | 25 | Top 6 | Previously Miss New Jersey 1991 | |
| 1992 | Kathy Kasprak | Edison | - | |||
| 1991 | Charlotte Ray | Camden | 24 | 1st runner-up | Miss Congeniality | Later Miss World USA 1991 and Semi-finalist at Miss World 1991 |
| 1990 | Karin Hartz | Voorhees | 24 | 2nd runner-up | ||
| 1989 | Deborah Lee Husti | Rockaway | 21 | 2nd runner-up | Semifinalist at Miss International 1989 as Miss USA | |
| 1988 | Colleen Carlone | Parsippany | ||||
| 1987 | Stacey Fox | East Brunswick | 19 | |||
| 1986 | Lisa Summeroury-Perry | Egg Harbor Township | Miss Congeniality | Represented New Jersey in Miss Oktoberfest 1987, did not place | ||
| 1985 | Francie Knapp | Linwood | ||||
| 1984 | Diane Everett Qualter | Englewood | ||||
| 1983 | Ann Marie Brucato | Bloomfield | ||||
| 1982 | Janice Lynn Straub | Cherry Hill | ||||
| 1981 | Christy Garthwaite | Tuckerton | ||||
| 1980 | Joni Peifer | Franklinville | ||||
| 1979 | Robin Senatore | Jackson | ||||
| 1978 | Sheryl Ann Hoehn | Clark | ||||
| 1977 | Juanita McCarty | Pemberton | 18 | Semi-finalist | 1st runner-up at Miss World USA 1976 as Miss Pennsylvania, 1st runner-up at Mrs America 1988 | |
| 1976 | Ginger Hagaman | Weekstown | ||||
| 1975 | Cathy Russell | Cranford | 19 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1974 | Patricia Sims | Jackson | ||||
| 1973 | Patricia Everett | Runnemede | ||||
| 1972 | Leila DeSantis | Point Pleasant | ||||
| 1971 | Brenda Joyce White | Delair | ||||
| 1970 | Ellen Cream | Pennsauken | ||||
| 1969 | Nancy Fromel | Washington | ||||
| 1968 | Linda Papa | Secaucus | ||||
| 1967 | Jean Galata | Union City | ||||
| 1966 | Jo Ann Franchi | Camden | ||||
| 1965 | Kay Franzen | Bridgeton | ||||
| 1964 | Barbara Joan Richartz | Stratford | 19 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1963 | Judy Kay Ayars | Salem | ||||
| 1962 | Joyce Claire Thomson | Bellmar | ||||
| 1961 | Diane Gierson | Red Bank | 19 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1960 | Sandy Chudy | Bound Brook | 20 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1959 | Geraldine Binder | Irvington | ||||
| 1958 | Faye Hasenauer | Menlo Park Terrace | ||||
| 1957 | Jeanne Lewis | Kearny | ||||
| 1956 | Dolores Winfield | Cranford | 21 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1955 | Beverly Rogers | Maywood | ||||
| 1954 | Evelyn Orowitz | Collingswood | 20 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1953 | Susan Ruth Harris | Haddonfield | ||||
| 1952 | Ruth Jane Hampton | Merchantville | 20 | Top 10 |
1 Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant