Color Palette

Primary Color

Our primary color is dark blue, matching PMS 280 C, which is also a prominent part of Columbia University’s secondary color palette. By emphasizing our connection to Columbia, the color reflects the rigorous education that our students receive and our purposeful tone of voice.

This color is appropriate for all text and graphic uses, and should be the default color for body copy on light backgrounds.

Secondary Colors

Our secondary colors provide tonal accents and are appropriate for use in infographics and other graphic elements. They can also be used for subheadings and display copy on dark backgrounds. However, use white as the default color for body copy on a dark background.

Tertiary Colors

The tertiary color palette is unique to SPS. The magenta, turquoise and purple infuse our identity with vibrancy and relevancy, and can be used for graphic elements, illustrations or buttons in web applications. While they can be applied for high-impact messages where sufficient contrast permits, use them sparingly.

Special Use

For formal or celebratory occasions, these metallic accents can be used with our primary dark blue to create a more premium look and feel. However, avoid applying the gold and platinum with our tertiary palette.

Color Values

Use these values when specifying colors for vendors, setting up digital documents and designs, and for print materials. 

Dark Blue

PMS 280 C

C100 M70 Y5 K55

R1 G33 B105

HEX #012169

Medium Blue

PMS 279 C

C68 M34 Y0 K0

R0 G158 B255

HEX #009EFF

Light Blue

PMS 284 C

C59 M17 Y0 K0

R108 G172 B228

HEX #6CACE4

White

C0 M0 Y0 K0

R255 G255 B255

HEX #FFFFFF

Magenta

PMS 7635 C

C0 M90 Y25 K8

R212 G40 B91

HEX #D4285B

Turquoise

PMS 2461 C

C78 M8 Y45 K9

R37 G155 B154

HEX #259B9A

Purple

PMS 2612 C

C67 M100 Y0 K5

R123 G42 B141

HEX #7B2A8D

Color Systems

  • PMS: The Pantone Matching System provides unique color IDs to specify color-matched inks ("spot colors") used in offset press printing, and in some apparel and promotional item manufacturing.
  • CMYK: The 4-color ink values for most printing, including digital and offset. This palette has the most limited color range.
  • RGB: The 3-color system used to specify on-screen colors. This palette has the widest color range.
  • Hex: An alpha-numeric system used for specifying RGB colors, most commonly for the web, but also for applications found in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace. Often this is the quickest color value to copy-and-paste into these applications.

Web Accessibility Note:

Please contact spsweb [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu (spsweb[at]columbia[dot]edu) if you have questions or need specifications for brand-compliant accessible colors to use when building web-based UI and content.