Columbia blue
A pale blue shade first used by Columbia University and its student societies
Columbia blue is a light blue shade closely linked to Columbia University in New York. Its roots go back to the Philolexian Society, the university's oldest student group, and it has become a symbol for the university, many schools, and sports teams across the United States.
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- Named for Columbia University in New York
- First used by the Philolexian Society in the early 1800s
- Officially listed as Pantone 290 by Columbia University
- Adopted by many US schools and sports teams
- Often paired with white in university colours
What colour is Columbia blue?
Columbia blue is a very light, greenish blue shade. It is best known as the signature colour of Columbia University. The colour stands out from other blues for its pale, almost pastel quality, and is sometimes matched to Pantone 290 or 292. It is often paired with white, especially in university and sports settings.
Where does Columbia blue come from?
The name Columbia blue comes from Columbia University, where it was first used by the Philolexian Society, a student organisation founded in 1802. Members wore blue satin rosettes, and the colour was combined with white for university events as early as 1852. The shade became widely recognised as a symbol for the university and its teams, and was later adopted by other schools and organisations.
How Columbia blue is defined
Columbia blue is defined today by colour standards such as Pantone 290 or 292, rather than by a specific pigment or dye. The exact shade may vary depending on the context, with different departments and teams sometimes choosing slightly lighter or darker versions. It is produced by mixing blue and white pigments or dyes to reach the desired pale blue tone.
Where Columbia blue is used
This colour is widely used in school uniforms, sports jerseys, and official merchandise for Columbia University and other institutions. Many fraternities, sororities, and secondary schools across the United States have adopted Columbia blue as one of their colours. It has also featured in the branding and uniforms of professional sports teams, such as the Houston Oilers and Tampa Bay Rays.
Blue around the world
What the blue family means from country to country.
The flag's colours have no official meaning. For the Great Seal of 1782, though, blue was said to stand for vigilance, perseverance and justice, white for purity and red for hardiness and valour.
Politics and protestTrustSource: Flag of the United StatesLapis lazuli has been mined in the mountains of Badakhshan for more than six thousand years. Ground to powder it gave ultramarine, the costliest blue in European painting.
Royalty and powerSacred and holyAweSource: Lapis lazuliThe chadari is a full-length covering for women with a mesh panel over the eyes. In Kabul and the north it is most often a light blue.
Protection and healingSource: BurqaThe blue band of the flag stands for the wish of the Armenian people to live under peaceful skies. The red above it is for the highlands and the struggle to survive.
Politics and protestHopeSource: Flag of ArmeniaThe flag is sky blue, white and sky blue, created by Manuel Belgrano in 1812. National teams are called the Albiceleste, the white and sky blue.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of ArgentinaBoca Juniors play in blue and gold. The club's story is that in 1907 it took the colours of the flag of the next ship into port, which was Swedish.
Festival and celebrationPrideSource: Boca JuniorsShades and relatives of Columbia blue
Columbia blue is often associated with Pantone 290 and Pantone 292, though the university and its teams have used a range of similar shades. Related colours include 'powder blue' and 'smoke blue', which are sometimes used interchangeably but may differ slightly in tone. Other blues, like Pantone 284, 285, 286, and 280, are used as secondary colours by Columbia University.
Colours that go with Columbia blue
Harmonies are worked out from the value #B9D9EB. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Columbia blue
What colour is Columbia blue?
Columbia blue is a very light shade of blue, sometimes described as a greenish blue. It is often matched to Pantone 290 or 292.
Where does the name Columbia blue come from?
The name comes from Columbia University, where the colour was first used by the Philolexian Society, the university's oldest student organisation.
What is Columbia blue used for?
It is used in school uniforms, sports jerseys, and official branding for Columbia University and many other schools and sports teams in the United States.
Is Columbia blue the same as powder blue?
Columbia blue is similar to powder blue, but the exact shade may differ. Some teams' 'powder blue' uniforms are actually Columbia blue.
How is Columbia blue defined today?
It is defined by colour standards, most often Pantone 290 or 292, though the exact shade can vary between institutions.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Columbia blue", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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