Medals were awarded in four colors: gold (first), silver (second), bronze (third), and pewter (fourth).
The competitions used in the selection process were, in order of priority:[2] The United States had qualified 3 Olympic spots in men's singles and ice dancing and 2 Olympic spots in ladies singles and pair skating.
Byes to the competition[4] were given to skaters who had won medals at the 2006 Winter Olympics or the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships; to the top five finishers in each senior-level discipline at the 2009 U.S.
Figure Skating Championships; to any skaters who qualified for the 2009–10 Junior or Senior Grand Prix Final in the discipline in which they qualified; and to any skater who was assigned to an international event that occurred at the same time as their sectional championship.
Ice dancers Morgan Matthews / Leif Gislason would have received a bye due to their 5th-place finish.