Web Content Accessibility: Color Contrast

The following table serves as a guide, as determined by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, for web color combinations that have a high enough contrast to be accessible to people with disabilities, including blindness and low vision. When using a background color for a section on the NSU website, this guide will help determine which text color can be used on top of it to meet accessibility standards.

Large text is defined as 14 point (typically 18.66px) and bold or larger, or 18 point (typically 24px) or larger.

A "Pass" indicator signifies that this color combination is a high enough contrast to be accessible as per the text size defined. A "Fail" indicator signifies that the color combination is not accessible and should not be used with the indicated text size.

Normal Text
Large Text
NSU Blue (#003893)
Dark Blue (#0032a0)
Mid Blue (#0070cd)
Light Blue (#6caae4)
Main Gray (#7c858c)
Mid Gray (#a3a9ac)
Light Gray (#c3c5c8)
Mid Metallic (#939bab)
Dark Metallic (#8b8e92)
Sunrise Gold (#F2A900)
Hibiscus Orange (#FE5000)
Palm Green (#B5BD00)
Tropical Ocean (#00B2A9)
Florida Skies (#00C1D5)
Deep Blue Ocean (#0072CE)
Web Blue (#010154)
Web Dark Blue (#001749)
Web Gray (#ebebeb)
White (#ffffff)
Text Gray (#202121)

NSU’s color palettes are designed to boldly enhance our visual elements. There is a primary color palette that you should use for most applications, and a secondary palette that should be used sparingly to complement the primary colors.

The palettes are available in the following formats:

  • RGB - for computer monitors and other electronic display screens
  • CMYK or Pantone™ - for print applications
  • HEX - for HTML and web-based use

Primary Colors

The university’s primary colors are NSU Blue (PMS 287C) and Main Gray (PMS 430C). Use these colors at 100 percent opacity whenever possible. NSU Blue should be present on all visual communication materials whenever possible.

NSU Blue

Pantone: 287C
CMYK: 100-70-0-15
RGB: 0-0-153
Hex: #003893

Dark Blue

Pantone: 286C
CMYK: 100-84-11-3
RGB: 0-51-160
Hex: #0032a0

Mid Blue

Pantone: 285C
CMYK: 91-53-0-0
RGB: 0-113-206
Hex: #0070cd

Light Blue

Pantone: 284C
CMYK: 54-22-0-0
RGB: 109-171-228
Hex: #6caae4

Main Gray

Pantone: 430C
CMYK: 54-41-38-4
RGB: 125-134-140
Hex: #7c858c

Mid Gray

Pantone: 429C
CMYK: 37-27-27-0
RGB: 164-169-173
Hex: #a3a9ac

Light Gray

Pantone: 428C
CMYK: 23-17-17-0
RGB: 195-198-200
Hex: #c3c5c8

Mid Metallic

Pantone: 10250C
CMYK: 45-34-24-0
RGB: 147-156-172
Hex: #939bab

Dark Metallic

Pantone: 10388C
CMYK: 48-38-36-2
RGB: 140-143-172
Hex: #8b8e92

Secondary Colors

The secondary palette is inspired by colors found on our campuses and the university’s tropical setting: the sun, sand, blue skies, seas, and palm trees. Their transparency can be screened back to the percentages shown. Colors from NSU's secondary palette should not be used as background colors behind text, unless for the purpose of one-line calls to action or website buttons.

Sunrise Gold

Pantone: 130
CMYK: 0-30-100-5
RGB: 242-169-0
Hex: #F2A900

Hibiscus Orange

Pantone: 021
CMYK: 0-69-100-0
RGB: 254-80-0
Hex: #FE5000

Palm Green

Pantone: 390
CMYK: 27-0-100-3
RGB: 181-189-0
Hex: #B5BD00

Tropical Ocean

Pantone: 326
CMYK: 81-0-39-0
RGB: 0-178-169
Hex: #00B2A9

Florida Skies

Pantone: 3115
CMYK: 59-0-14-0
RGB: 0-193-213
Hex: #00C1D5

Deep Blue Ocean

Pantone: 285
CMYK: 90-48-0-0
RGB: 0-114-206
Hex: #0072CE

Web Colors

The web palette consists of colors that can be used specifically on NSU web pages, in addition to colors from the university’s primary and secondary palettes.

Web Blue

CMYK: 99-99-0-67
RGB: 1-1-84
Hex: #010154

Web Dark Blue

CMYK: 100-68-0-71
RGB: 0-23-73
Hex: #001749

Web Gray

CMYK: 0-0-0-8
RGB: 235-235-235
Hex: #ebebeb

White

CMYK: 0-0-0-0
RGB: 255, 255, 255
Hex: #ffffff

Text Gray

CMYK: 3-0-0-87
RGB: 32-33-3
Hex: #202121

See Examples of Color Use in Campus Signage

Our Brand in Action on Campus