NU Red
#C8102E
PMS 186
RGB 200 16 46
CMYK 0 100 80 5
White
#FFFFFF
RGB 255 255 255
CMYK 0 0 0 0
Black
PMS BLACK
#000000
RGB 0 0 0
CMYK 0 0 0 100
Iconic primary
Our colors—black, white, and red—are intended to be used in a specific hierarchy.
Red should be used to reinforce the Northeastern brand and should be incorporated into every piece of collateral.
NU Canvas
#F6F6F4
RGB 246 246 244
CMYK 2 2 3 0
NU Cool Black
#1e2028
PMS NEUTRAL BLACK
RGB 30 32 40
CMYK 78 71 58 70
NU Bold Gold
#A4804A
PMS METALLIC
RGB 164 128 74
CMYK 33 46 80 10
NU Light Gold
#C8A978
RGB 200 169 120
CMYK 23 32 60 0
Supporting and prestige colors
Supporting colors: Try using NU Canvas and NU Cool Black instead of pure white and black for a more comfortable feel with less visual vibration.
Prestige colors: NU Bold Gold and NU Light Gold are reserved for special use and should be just 5% of the overall design where used. It is best used in metallic shades in physical formats. (Mostly for the Office of the President)
900
#17191F
800
#1e2028
700
#49494d
500
#1e2028
300
#e0e0e0
200
#ebebeb
100
#f5f5f5
Digital applications
Supporting colors: Try using NU Canvas and NU Cool Black instead of pure white and black for a more comfortable feel with less visual vibration.
Prestige colors: NU Bold Gold and NU Light Gold are reserved for special use and should be just 5% of the overall design where used. It is best used in metallic shades in physical formats. (Mostly for the Office of the President)
Accessibility
All branded activations – including both digital and print – should meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards at a minimum. See Color ratios below to see contrast standards for our brand colors.
For training and access to accessibility information specific to WordPress, please visit Accessibility at Northeastern.
Color ratios
Ensure sufficient color contrast between text and backgrounds-a minimum ratio of 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text (at least 18 pt / 24 pt or bold and at least 14 pt / 18.5 pt).
User interface components (including focus indication and boundaries) and graphic objects should have a minimum ration of 3:1.
Use the chart below to check contrast for our brand colors. For other colors, use this free tool to ensure you meet minimum requirements. Do not use AI tools to check contrast as these may not capture colors accurately.
Hex codes for our brand colors are:
Black | 000000
White | FFFFFF
Red | C8012E
Gold | A4804A
| Color combination | Preview | Ratio | AA Pass | AAA Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black on white |  | 21:1 | Regular text Large text UI and graphics | Regular text Large text |
| White on black |  | 21:1 | Regular text Large text UI and graphics | Regular text Large text |
| Red on white |  | 5.9:1 | Regular text Large text UI and graphics | Large text |
| White on red |  | 5.9:1 | Regular text Large text UI and graphics | Large text |
| Black on gold |  | 5.8:1 | Regular text Large text UI and graphics | Large text |
| Gold on black |  | 5.8:1 | Regular text Large text UI and graphics | Large text |
| Black on red |  | 3.6:1 | Large text UI and graphics | Fail |
| Red on black |  | 3.6:1 | Large text UI and graphics | Fail |
| Gold on white |  | 3.6:1 | Large text UI and graphics | Fail |
| White on gold |  | 3.6:1 | Large text UI and graphics | Fail |
| Gold on red |  | 1.6:1 | Fail | Fail |
| Red on gold |  | 1.6:1 | Fail | Fail |
