Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University School Colors
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's school colors are Chicago Maroon (#861F41) and Burnt Orange (#E5751F). Virginia Tech'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 Virginia Tech colors
Virginia Tech's first colors were black and gray (cadet gray), but on striped football jerseys they looked like a prison uniform and drew ridicule from opponents. In 1896, the same year the school took the name Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute, a committee chose Chicago maroon and burnt orange because no other college used that combination. The new colors were first worn in a home football game against Roanoke College in October 1896; accounts differ on the exact date (October 20 or October 26).
Sources: vt.edu · scuablog.lib.vt.edu
Photo: Jmcgough21, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo: The original uploader was Hokie4Heisman at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Virginia Tech primary colors
| Color | HEX | RGB | CMYK | Pantone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Maroon | #861F41 | 134, 31, 65 | 15, 100, 37, 45 | PMS 208 | |
| Burnt Orange | #E5751F | 229, 117, 31 | 0, 62, 95, 0 | PMS 158 | |
| Hokie Stone | #75787B | 117, 120, 123 | 26, 21, 19, 45 | PMS Cool Gray 9 C | |
| Yardline White | #FFFFFF | 255, 255, 255 | 0, 0, 0, 0 | White |
Virginia Tech secondary colors
| Color | HEX | RGB | CMYK | Pantone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pylon Purple | #642667 | 100, 38, 103 | 65, 100, 22, 18 | PMS 260 C | |
| Boundless Pink | #CE0058 | 206, 0, 88 | 0, 100, 43, 12 | PMS Rubine Red | |
| Triumphant Yellow | #F7EA48 | 247, 234, 72 | 5, 0, 85, 1 | PMS 101 C | |
| Sustainable Teal | #508590 | 80, 133, 144 | 75, 35, 40, 3 | PMS 2212 C | |
| Vibrant Turquoise | #2CD5C4 | 44, 213, 196 | 68, 0, 35, 0 | PMS 3255 C | |
| Land Grant Grey | #D7D2CB | 215, 210, 203 | 5, 7, 10, 11 | PMS Warm Gray 1 C | |
| Skipper Smoke | #E5E1E6 | 229, 225, 230 | 4, 4, 2, 6 | PMS 663 C | |
| Impact Orange | #CA4F00 | 202, 79, 0 | 0, 48, 79, 21 | — |
Matching Virginia Tech colors on clothing
Clothing sold as a given color can be noticeably off from Virginia Tech'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 Virginia Tech's official colors. The pieces below are the closest in-stock matches, out of 601 styles close to Chicago Maroon, 166 styles close to Burnt Orange.
Clothing in Chicago Maroon #861F41
Blank apparel whose fabric color is a close match to Chicago Maroon, measured from the garment itself. 601 matching styles in stock.
Clothing in Burnt Orange #E5751F
Blank apparel whose fabric color is a close match to Burnt Orange, measured from the garment itself. 166 matching styles in stock.
Virginia Tech colors: frequently asked questions
What are Virginia Tech school colors?
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's school colors are Chicago Maroon (#861F41) and Burnt Orange (#E5751F). The official brand palette also includes Hokie Stone and Yardline White as primary colors, plus 8 more secondary and supporting colors.
What is the hex code for Virginia Tech Chicago Maroon?
Virginia Tech Chicago Maroon is #861F41 (RGB 134, 31, 65, CMYK 15, 100, 37, 45).
What is the hex code for Virginia Tech Burnt Orange?
Virginia Tech Burnt Orange is #E5751F (RGB 229, 117, 31, CMYK 0, 62, 95, 0).
What Pantone color is Virginia Tech Chicago Maroon?
Virginia Tech Chicago Maroon is PMS 208.
What Pantone color is Virginia Tech Burnt Orange?
Virginia Tech Burnt Orange is PMS 158.
Why are Virginia Tech's colors Chicago Maroon and Burnt Orange?
Virginia Tech's first colors were black and gray (cadet gray), but on striped football jerseys they looked like a prison uniform and drew ridicule from opponents. In 1896, the same year the school took the name Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute, a committee chose Chicago maroon and burnt orange because no other college used that combination.
Color values are taken from the official Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University brand standards (source), checked October 2026. Sweatshirt Station is not affiliated with or endorsed by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and 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.