Russian wheat aphid (RWA) [Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko)] is an increasing problem on barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) throughout the world. Genetic resistance has been identified and used to create barley germplasm and cultivars adapted to the United States. Several mapping studies have been conducted to identify loci associated with resistance, but questions remain, particularly regarding the extent of genetic diversity among resistance sources and improved lines and cultivars. Association analysis of resistant (R) and moderately resistant (MR), unadapted accessions held in the USDA–ARS National Small Grains Germplasm Collection, adapted germplasm lines derived from these accessions, and susceptible (S) elite cultivars was conducted using 4509 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to identify markers linked to resistance. Resistance was associated with loci on chromosomes 1H, 2H, 3H, 5H, and 7H at p‐values <0.0001, and the major 1H and 3H loci identified in previous tests were confirmed. However, the genetics of RWA resistance was shown to be complex, and it is likely that loci involved in resistance in some lines were not identified. Nevertheless, this analysis identified diversity among R lines and showed that most of the released RWA‐resistant cultivars had similar genotypes at loci associated with resistance. This analysis also identified R lines that were genetically dissimilar to the released cultivars at these loci. This information can guide parental selection for future breeding efforts designed to capture and deploy greater diversity for RWA resistance among new barley cultivars.