Prior to the live telecast, the 51 contestants competed in a preliminary presentation show where they were judged in swimsuits and evening gowns. Scores from this judging determined the top 15 for the final competition.
All the delegates were first required to win their state pageant, which in some states also meant holding a local title.
| State | Name | Hometown | Age | Placement | Special awards | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Terra Moody | Birmingham | 18 | Top 10 | ||
| Alaska | Nina Sutherlin | Anchorage | 18 | |||
| Arizona | Allie Gilliland | Glendale | 17 | |||
| Arkansas | Sarah French | Hot Springs | 18 | Miss Photogenic | Later Miss Missouri 2006 | |
| California | Stacey Beltran | Oxnard | 18 | |||
| Colorado | Tori Carter | Greeley | 19 | |||
| Connecticut | Christine Perkins | East Lyme | 17 | |||
| Delaware | Brittany Cichocki | Pike Creek | 17 | |||
| District of Columbia | Nicole White | Washington, D.C. | 15 | |||
| Florida | Anastagia Pierre | Plantation | 15 | Later Miss Florida USA 2009 | ||
| Georgia | Brooke Calhoun | Roswell | 17 | Top 15 | ||
| Hawaii | Sonya Balmores | Kalaheo | 18 | 1st runner-up | ||
| Idaho | Angel Soltero | Pocatello | 17 | |||
| Illinois | Brittany Acosta | Warrenville | 16 | |||
| Indiana | Courtni Hall | Crawfordsville | 18 | |||
| Iowa | Shannon Hofmeister | Oelwein | 18 | |||
| Kansas | Carissa Kelley | Winfield | 17 | |||
| Kentucky | Megan Frank | Greensburg | 19 | |||
| Louisiana | Shelley Hennig | Destrehan | 17 | Winner | ||
| Maine | Courtney Peterson | Yarmouth | 17 | |||
| Maryland | Amanda Williams | Jarrettsville | 18 | 3rd runner-up | ||
| Massachusetts | Allison Bodwell | Ipswich | 18 | |||
| Michigan | Yelena Crawford | Brooklyn | 18 | |||
| Minnesota | Allison Arling | Lakeville | 18 | Top 10 | ||
| Mississippi | Jessica McRaney | Byram | 17 | |||
| Missouri | Alissa Reitmeier | St. Charles | 17 | Top 15 | ||
| Montana | Autumn Muller | Harlowton | 18 | |||
| Nebraska | Meagan Winings | Atkinson | 17 | Top 10 | ||
| Nevada | Helen Salas | Las Vegas | 18 | 2nd runner-up | Later Miss Nevada USA 2007,4th runner-up at Miss USA 2007 | |
| New Hampshire | Brittany Freeman | Merrimack | 16 | |||
| New Jersey | Rachael Carrollo | Wantage | 17 | Top 10 | ||
| New Mexico | Jocelyn Cruz | Las Cruces | 17 | |||
| New York | Catherine Muldoon | Chappaqua | 18 | Top 10 | ||
| North Carolina | Elizabeth Carty | High Point | 17 | Sister of Survivor: Panama contestant Austin Carty | ||
| North Dakota | Breanna Abernathy | Lansford | 18 | Top 15 | Miss Congeniality | |
| Ohio | Nicci Shannon | Cincinnati | 18 | |||
| Oklahoma | Caitlin Graham | Edmond | 17 | |||
| Oregon | Lorie Thompson | Eugene | 18 | |||
| Pennsylvania | Chelsea MacDougall | Huntsville | 17 | |||
| Rhode Island | Melissa Landry | Charlestown | 16 | |||
| South Carolina | Lindsey Sporrer | Powdersville | 17 | Top 15 | ||
| South Dakota | Katie Schull | Watertown | 17 | Sister of Kari Schull, Miss South Dakota Teen USA 2007 | ||
| Tennessee | Tiffany Stroud | Limestone | 16 | 4th runner-up | ||
| Texas | Magen Ellis | White House | 17 | Top 15 | Later Miss Texas USA 2007 | |
| Utah | Honey Swift | Riverton | 18 | |||
| Vermont | Maggie Geha | Brattleboro | 16 | |||
| Virginia | Mally Gent | Honaker | 18 | |||
| Washington | Danielle Jensen | Lynnwood | 17 | |||
| West Virginia | Mary Ellen Wolfe | Huntington | 18 | |||
| Wisconsin | Myla DalBasio | Racine | 17 | |||
| Wyoming | Maddison Strasheim | Cheyenne | 18 |