Graduation Colors

Graduation colors are the official two- or three-color palettes assigned to each US school. Universities and high schools both have them. They appear on tassels, sashes, diploma covers, and inevitably on party decor. How to find them: Google "school name colors" and the first result is almost always correct. For ambiguous schools, check the athletic department's branding page. Most school color combinations are documented as hex codes for digital use and Pantone codes for printed materials. Common pairs: navy and gold (very common in private high schools), red and white (state universities), green and gold, blue and orange, purple and gold. Specific examples: Harvard is crimson and white, Michigan is maize and blue, USC is cardinal and gold, Texas is burnt orange and white. For party decor, you do not need to match the hex code perfectly. Get the spirit. Buy crepe paper, tablecloths, and balloons in the closest colors at the party store. The exception is a graduation cap cake where the tassel color does need to be exact, the bakery will ask for a sample.