Miss USA 1971 was the 20th Miss USA pageant, televised live by CBS hosted by Bob Barker from the Jackie Gleason Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida on May 22, 1971.

The pageant was won by Michele McDonald of Pennsylvania, who was crowned by outgoing titleholder Deborah Shelton of Virginia. McDonald was the first – and to date only – woman from Pennsylvania to win the Miss USA title, and went on to place as a semi-finalist at Miss Universe 1971.

For the 1971 pageant, the number of semi-finalists called was reduced from 15 to 12. It would remain at this number until 1984, when it was cut again to 10.

Final Results	Contestant
Miss USA 1971	Pennsylvania – Michele McDonald†
1st Runner-Up	Texas – Brenda Box
2nd Runner-Up	Arizona – Susanne Pottenger
3rd Runner-Up	Missouri – Nancy Rich
4th Runner-Up	Kentucky – Patricia Barnstable
Top 12	California – Karin Morrell District of Columbia – Suzanne Pluskoski Florida – Susan Deaton Maryland – Carol Theis Michigan – Pat Glannan Vermont – Sandra Taft Virginia – Brenda Miller

† Indicates contestant Is deceased

Award	Contestant
Miss Congeniality	Colorado – Diane Knaub
Miss Photogenic	Virginia – Brenda Miller

The Miss USA 1971 delegates were:

• Willis Reed
• Willa Meda
• Burt Bacharach, Sr.
• Richard J. Knight
• Jane Kean
• Ben Novak
• Bobbi Johnson
• George Lindsey
• Hy Gardner
• Cindy Adams

• Miss USA official website