How Much Do ‘Miss USA’ Contestants Make?

Contestants from each state do not receive any type of compensation, whereas the winner receives quite the prize!

BY MICHAEL CHAAR

The Miss USA Pageant is one of the most-watched events of the year and has been since its start back in 1952. While Miss USA and Miss America are oftentimes mistaken as the same, both pageants differ from one another, with Miss USA being the only one taking the winner over to Miss Universe. From talents, gowns, and question-and-answer portions, Miss USA contestants undergo years and years of training before making it to the big stage.

The pageant has been hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey, where they crowned a new winner just last week, and the incomparable Asya Branch broke records by becoming the first-ever Black woman to represent Mississippi as Miss USA. Now that Branch will be moving on to Miss Universe, fans are wondering how much she and the other contestants take home for their participation in the pageant.

Do Miss USA Contestants Get Paid?

Beauty pageants are all the rage across the globe, particularly throughout the United States. With countless films and television shows such as 'Miss Congeniality', 'Toddlers & Tiaras', and 'Little Miss Sunshine', shedding light on the secrets and behind the scenes of pageants, the competitive program has been going on for well over 70 years. Miss USA, which began in 1952, has crowned a winner each and every year, along with a scholarship prize.

The winner of Miss USA then moves on to Miss Universe, which differs from Miss America, despite the two being oftentimes thought of as the same. There have been many shocking moments throughout pageant history, including Steve Harvey's error of naming the wrong winner of Miss Universe!

While things can go wrong, Miss USA strives for perfection, considering the time and preparation required to allow the event to go on mistake-free. Although each and every contestant put in a lot of hard work, there can only be one winner. From the sash, title, and of course the crown, fans are wondering what else Miss USA contestants receive for their participation. In this case, contestants from each state do not receive any type of compensation, whereas the winner receives quite the prize!

In addition to holding the title of Miss USA, the winner is put up in a luxury New York City apartment, rent-free, for the duration of her reign. Miss USA will also get representation from agencies such as WME and IMG, which are all part of the Miss Universe Organization. This not only provides winners with career opportunities, but they're able to make a name for themselves outside of the pageant world.

Additionally, the winner of the pageant also takes home a $50,000 scholarship and earns a six-figure salary during their time as Miss USA, says Bustle. This is required considering Miss USA does complete many tasks throughout the year, which is made up of a lot of charity work and appearances. While it takes years to prepare for, the prize certainly makes it all worth it!

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