San Diego State University School Colors
San Diego State University's school colors are Dark Red (#A6192E) and Black (#000000). San Diego State's brand standards define 12 colors in all; every official HEX, RGB, CMYK and Pantone value is listed below, along with the story of how the colors were chosen.
History of the San Diego State colors
San Diego State's colors changed several times in its early decades. A Normal School-era song declared the colors yellow and white, and the 1922 yearbook of the new San Diego State Teachers College described a compromise between the Junior College's blue and gold and the Normal School's gold and white, with gold and purple expected to become the college colors. Red and black had replaced them by 1928, when 'Crimson and Black' was adopted as the alma mater after the school changed colors. In 2022 the university added charcoal, white and teal to its palette, with teal reflecting turquoise's place on campus and its meaning for some Native and Indigenous communities, while red and black remain the leading colors.
Sources: hailmontezuma.sdsu.edu · digital.sdsu.edu · sdsu.edu
Photo: Kbuttysd, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Gateman1997, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
San Diego State primary colors
| Color | HEX | RGB | CMYK | Pantone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bright Red | #D41736 | 212, 23, 54 | 10, 100, 83, 0 | PMS 185 | |
| Dark Red | #A6192E | 166, 25, 46 | 7, 100, 82, 26 | PMS 187 | |
| Charcoal | #2D2828 | 45, 40, 40 | 20, 20, 20, 90 | PMS 433 | |
| Black | #000000 | 0, 0, 0 | 40, 30, 20, 100 | Neutral Black (brand guidelines pdf only) |
SDSU red for apparel
San Diego State's brand guide and its athletics style guide both use PMS 187 for the main red (Dark Red, #A6192E); the brighter red, PMS 185, is a secondary color. Teal was added to the university palette in 2022.
San Diego State secondary colors
| Color | HEX | RGB | CMYK | Pantone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bright Teal | #00A39D | 0, 163, 157 | 80, 0, 40, 0 | PMS 326 | |
| Dark Teal | #008080 | 0, 128, 128 | 80, 0, 40, 30 | PMS 328 | |
| Light Gray | #CDCDC8 | 205, 205, 200 | 13, 9, 10, 20 | PMS 435 | |
| White | #FFFFFF | 255, 255, 255 | 0, 0, 0, 0 | — |
Additional San Diego State palette colors
| Color | HEX | RGB | CMYK | Pantone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presidential Seal Gold | #9B6E00 | 188, 143, 33 | 0, 28, 100, 30 | PMS 132 PMS 873 Metallic |
San Diego State athletics colors
| Color | HEX | RGB | CMYK | Pantone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red (athletics) | — | 194, 48, 56 | 17, 95, 82, 6 | PMS 187 9002 embroidery thread | |
| Black (athletics) | — | 35, 31, 32 | 0, 0, 0, 100 | 5596 embroidery thread | |
| White (athletics) | — | 255, 255, 255 | 0, 0, 0, 0 | 1005 embroidery thread |
Matching San Diego State colors on clothing
Clothing sold as a given color can be noticeably off from San Diego State's official values, and supplier color codes describe the dye target rather than the finished fabric. So we measured the actual fabric color of every garment we carry from product photos and fabric swatches, then compared it to San Diego State's official colors. The pieces below are the closest in-stock matches, out of 1020 styles close to Dark Red.
Clothing in Dark Red #A6192E
Blank apparel whose fabric color is a close match to Dark Red, measured from the garment itself. 1020 matching styles in stock.
San Diego State colors: frequently asked questions
What are San Diego State school colors?
San Diego State University's school colors are Dark Red (#A6192E) and Black (#000000). The official brand palette also includes Bright Red and Charcoal as primary colors, plus 8 more secondary and supporting colors.
What is the hex code for Dark Red?
Dark Red is #A6192E (RGB 166, 25, 46, CMYK 7, 100, 82, 26).
What Pantone color is Dark Red?
Dark Red is PMS 187.
Why are San Diego State's colors Dark Red and Black?
San Diego State's colors changed several times in its early decades. A Normal School-era song declared the colors yellow and white, and the 1922 yearbook of the new San Diego State Teachers College described a compromise between the Junior College's blue and gold and the Normal School's gold and white, with gold and purple expected to become the college colors.
Color values are taken from the official San Diego State University brand standards (source), checked October 2026. Sweatshirt Station is not affiliated with or endorsed by San Diego State University. We sell blank apparel in matching colors; no logos or trademarks are sold. Photos are used under their Creative Commons or public domain licenses and are credited above.