Color

Our color palette

Beyond our logo, color is the most recognizable aspect of our brand identity. Colors were selected that reflect our bold, diverse community and given names that reflect their inspiration. Using color appropriately is one of the easiest ways to make sure our materials reflect a cohesive Berkeley image or visual story.

When using color builds, always use the color values listed here. They were adjusted for the best reproduction in print and on screen and do not match Pantone® Color Bridge breakdowns. 

The Berkeley color palette has two layers: primary and secondary palettes, each with its own subgroupings of colors. The primary palette is broken into heritage and alternate heritage colors.

The secondary palette is broken into four groups: neutrals, vibrants, brights and darks. Each is represented by a column in the grid below, with colors getting progressively darker in value from left to right. The following pages break down each column into individual colors and show ways to create unique color palettes within the larger Berkeley palette.

Primary palette

Berkeley Blue

Berkeley Blue swatch

Hex 003262 
CMYK 100|71|10|47 
Pantone 282

California Gold

California Gold swatch

Hex FDB515 
CMYK 0|32|100|0 
Pantone 123

Founder's Rock

Founder's Rock swatch

Hex 3B7EA1
CMYK 76|34|21|0 
Pantone 7697

Medalist

Medalist swatch

Hex C4820E 
CMYK 0|34|98|12 
Pantone 7550

Heritage colors

Our primary colors, called heritage colors, are Berkeley Blue and California Gold. They represent Berkeley at the highest level and should be present in all communications. These colors look best as spot inks, and do not reproduce as richly in four-color process. Never use screens or tints of heritage colors. 

Alternate heritage colors

Our alternate heritage colors were created to expand the primary palette. They may be used to complement the primary heritage colors but should never completely replace them as main representations of Berkeley. For example, Medalist may replace California Gold in situations where a darker gold is needed.

Secondary palette

Neutrals

Wellman Tile

Wellman Tile swatch

Hex D9661F 
CMYK 0|69|98|12 
Pantone 7416

Bay Fog

Bay Fog swatch

Hex DDD5C7 
CMYK 5|11|8|12 
Pantone 434

Sather Gate

Sather Gate swatch

Hex B9D3B6
CMYK 25|2|30|4 
Pantone 558

Vibrants

Rose Garden

Rose Garden swatch

Hex EE1F60
CMYK 0|98|46|0
Pantone 1925

Lawrence

Lawrence swatch

Hex 00B0DA
CMYK 79|0|6|5
Pantone 306

Ion

Ion swatch

Hex CFDD45
CMYK 23|0|89|0
Pantone 381

Brights

Golden Gate

Golden Gate swatch

Hex ED4E33
CMYK 1|85|88|0
Pantone 7417

Lap Lane

Lap Lane swatch

Hex 00A598
CMYK 81|0|39|0
Pantone 326

Soybean

Soybean swatch

Hex 859438
CMYK 17|0|88|39
Pantone 7746

Darks

South Hall

South Hall swatch

Hex 6C3302
CMYK 11|68|95|62
Pantone 7602

Pacific

Pacific swatch

Hex 46535E
CMYK 45|25|16|59
Pantone 431

Stone Pine

Stone Pine swatch

Hex 584F29
CMYK 40|40|80|55 
Pantone 450

Our commitment to web accessibility

In accordance with the systemwide UC Information Technology Accessibility Policy(link is external), and to help serve those with low vision, our web color palette is accessible online and in digital materials.

Accessible color pairings

Large and small text color options show acceptable use of brand colors for text online, according to Berkeley web access standards. Guidelines for accessibility are available at webaccess.berkeley.edu.

Large text is defined as18px bold or 24px regular or greater.
Small text  is defined as under 18px.

Berkeley Blue

Large text 
California Gold FDB515
Medalist C4820E
Wellman Tile D9661F
Ion CFDD45
Bay Fog DDD5C7
Lawrence 00B0DA
White FFF

Small text 
California Gold FDB515
Sather Gate 39B3B6
Ion CFDD45
Bay Fog DDD5C7
Lawrence 00B0DA
White FFF

Wellman Tile

Large text
White FFF
Black 000

Small text 
Black 000

Bay Fog

Large text 
Berkeley Blue 003262
Stone Pine 594A25
South Hall 7B4931
Pacific 46535E
Black 000

Small text 
Berkeley Blue 003262
Stone Pine 594A25
Black 000

Sather Gate

Large text
Berkeley Blue 003262
Stone Pine 594A25
South Hall 7B4931
Pacific 46535E
Black 000

Small text 
Berkeley Blue 003262
Pacific 46535E
Black 000
Stone Pine 594A25
South Hall 7B4931

California Gold

Large text 
Berkeley Blue 003262
Stone Pine 594A25
Black 000

Small text 
Berkeley Blue 003262
Stone Pine 594A25
Black 000

Rose Garden

Large text
White FFF
Black 000

Lawrence

Large text
Berkeley Blue 003262
Black 000

Small text 
Berkeley Blue 003262
Black 000

Ion

Large text
Berkeley Blue 003262
Founder’s Rock 3B7EA1
Stone Pine 594A25
Pacific 46535E
Black 000

Small text 
Berkeley Blue 003262
Stone Pine 594A25
Pacific 46535E
Black 000

Founder's Rock

Large text 
Ion CFDD45
Bay Fog DDD5C7
White FFF
Black 000

Small text 
Black 000

Golden Gate

Large text 
White FFF
Black 000

Small text 
White FFF
Black 000

Lap Lane

Large text 
White FFF
Black 000

Small text 
Black 000

Soybean

Large text
White FFF
Black 000

Small text
Black 000

Medalist

Large text
White FFF
Black 000

Small text
Black 000

South Hall

Large text 
White FFF

Small text 
White FFF

Pacific

Large text 
White FFF
Ion CFDD45
Sather Gate B9D3B6

Small text 
White FFF
Bay Fog DDD5C7
Ion CFDD45

Stone Pine

Large text 
California Gold FDB515
Sather Gate B9D3B6
Ion CFDD45
Bay Fog DDD5C7
White FFF

Small text
California Gold FDB515
Bay Fog DDD5C7
White FFF
Ion CFDD45