| 1996 United States Olympic Trials (swimming) | |
| Hostcity: | Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| Events: | 26 (men: 13; women: 13) |
| Dates: | March 6 – March 12 |
| Venues: | Indiana University Natatorium |
| Previous: | 1992 trials |
| Next: | 2000 trials |
The 1996 United States Olympic trials for swimming events were held from March 6 to 12 in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was the qualifying meet for American swimmers who hoped to compete at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
Key:
| 50 m freestyle | Gary Hall, Jr. | 22.27 | David Fox | 22.50 | Bill Pilczuk | 22.55 | |
| 100 m freestyle | Jon Olsen | 49.46 | Gary Hall, Jr. | 49.53 | Josh Davis | 49.97 | |
| 200 m freestyle | John Piersma | 1:48.97 | Josh Davis | 1:49.29 | Ryan Berube | 1:49.37 | |
| 400 m freestyle | Tom Dolan | 3:48.99 | John Piersma | 3:51.41 | Peter Wright | 3:52.85 | |
| 1500 m freestyle | Carlton Bruner | 15:12.85 | Peter Wright | 15:17.96 | Lawrence Frostad | 15:22.79 | |
| 100 m backstroke | Tripp Schwenk | 54.94 | Jeff Rouse | 55.15 | Brian Retterer | 55.46 | |
| 200 m backstroke | Brad Bridgewater | 1:59.16 | Tripp Schwenk | 1:59.42 | Tate Blahnik | 2:00.48 | |
| Jeremy Linn | 1:01.94 | Kurt Grote | 1:02.03 | Eric Wunderlich | 1:02.39 | ||
| Kurt Grote | 2:14.22 | Eric Wunderlich | 2:14.45 | Steve West | 2:14.96 | ||
| 100 m butterfly | John Hargis | 53.42 | Mark Henderson | 53.51 | Jason Lancaster | 53.73 | |
| 200 m butterfly | Tom Malchow | 1:57.39 | Ray Carey | 1:57.66 | Melvin Stewart | 1:57.89 | |
| 200 m IM | Tom Dolan | 2:00.20 | Greg Burgess | 2:01.55 | Paul Nelsen | 2:02.91 | |
| 400 m IM | Tom Dolan | 4:12.72 | Eric Namesnik | 4:17.19 | Iian Mull | 4:22.16 | |
| 50 m freestyle | Amy Van Dyken | 25.17 | Angel Martino | 25.23 | Jenny Thompson | 25.61 | |
| 100 m freestyle | Amy Van Dyken | 55.27 | Angel Martino | 55.39 | Jenny Thompson | 55.45 | |
| 200 m freestyle | Cristina Teuscher | 1:59.50 | Trina Jackson | 2:00.62 | Lisa Jacob | 2:00.65 | |
| 400 m freestyle | Janet Evans | 4:10.97 | Cristina Teuscher | 4:11.59 | Trina Jackson | 4:13.46 | |
| 800 m freestyle | Brooke Bennett | 8:31.41 | Janet Evans | 8:33.60 | Trina Jackson | 8:35.52 | |
| Whitney Hedgepeth | 1:01.52 | Beth Botsford | 1:01.59 | Barbara Bedford | 1:02.31 | ||
| Beth Botsford | 2:10.66 | Whitney Hedgepeth | 2:12.10 | Amanda Adkins | 2:13.41 | ||
| Amanda Beard | 1:08.36 | Kristine Quance | 1:09.72 | Kristy Kowal | 1:09.89 | ||
| Amanda Beard | 2:26.25 | Jilen Siroky | 2:28.23 | Kristine Quance | 2:28.35 | ||
| 100 m butterfly | Angel Martino | 59.63 | Amy Van Dyken | 59.72 | Misty Hyman | 59.75 | |
| 200 m butterfly | Annette Salmeen | 2:12.39 | Trina Jackson | 2:12.89 | Jean Todisco | 2:12.97 | |
| 200 m IM | Allison Wagner | 2:13.71 | Kristine Quance | 2:13.76 | Cristina Teuscher | 2:15.52 | |
| 400 m IM | Allison Wagner | 4:41.61 | Whitney Metzler | 4:46.88 | Jennifer Parmenter | 4:49.50 | |