Color
Color is one of the most powerful ways people connect with Kansas State University. Our palette is drawn from our history and traditions, as well as the natural and built environments that shape our campuses. Together, these colors create an authentic expression of who we are — capturing the pride, character and spirit that define K-State.
Primary color palette
The primary color palette features the core colors of our brand, including our signature K-State purple, and should serve as the foundation for most designs and visual applications.
- PMS 268+
-
- HEX:
- #512888
- RGB:
- 81, 40, 136
- CMYK:
- 82, 100, 0, 12
- White
-
- HEX:
- #FFFFFF
- RGB:
- 255, 255, 255
- CMYK:
- 0, 0, 0, 0
- K/Black
-
- HEX:
- #000000
- RGB:
- 0, 0, 0, 0
- CMYK:
- 0, 0, 0, 100
- 20% K/Black
-
- HEX:
- #D1D1D1
- RGB:
- 209, 209, 209
- CMYK:
- 0, 0, 0, 20
- 40% K/Black
-
- HEX:
- #A7A7A7
- RGB:
- 167, 167, 167
- CMYK:
- 0, 0, 0, 40
Secondary color palette
Our secondary color palette complements and supports our primary university colors. These hues add depth, flexibility and warmth to designs while maintaining a cohesive look. They should be used sparingly to create visual balance, typically for backgrounds, accents, or subtle highlights, to ensure K-State’s purple remains the dominant brand color.
Neutrals
- PMS 7528
-
- HEX:
- #E7DED0
- RGB:
- 231, 222, 208
- CMYK:
- 9, 10 , 17, 0
- PMS 7530
-
- HEX:
- #B9AB97
- RGB:
- 185, 171, 151
- CMYK:
- 29, 29, 40, 0
- Pantone Cool Gray 9 U
-
- HEX:
- #939193
- RGB:
- 147, 145, 147
- CMYK:
- 45, 38, 36, 2
Accent Colors
- Pantone 617 C
-
- HEX:
- #E4D89E
- RGB:
- 228, 216, 158
- CMYK:
- 11, 10, 44, 0
- Pantone 1205 C
-
- HEX:
- #FFF1C9
- RGB:
- 255, 241, 201
- CMYK:
- 0, 4, 24, 0
- PMS 141
-
- HEX:
- #F4C55C
- RGB:
- 244, 197, 92
- CMYK:
- 4, 22, 75, 0
- Pantone 7407 C
-
- HEX:
- #CEA152
- RGB:
- 206, 161, 82
- CMYK:
- 19, 36, 79, 1
- Pantone 7503 C
-
- HEX:
- #AC9766
- RGB:
- 172, 151, 102
- CMYK:
- 33, 35, 68, 4
- Pantone 7525 C
-
- HEX:
- #9F694F
- RGB:
- 159, 105, 79
- CMYK:
- 31, 60, 70, 15
Accessibility
Color accessibility ensures that everyone can clearly read and engage with our materials. Proper contrast between text and background is essential for legibility, especially in digital formats where standards are easier to measure. For printed materials, contrast can be more subjective — take extra care with reverse type, overlays and textured backgrounds to maintain clarity.