Washington State University School Colors
Washington State University's school colors are Crimson (#A60F2D) and Gray (#4D4D4D). Washington State's brand standards define 16 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 Washington State colors
The school's first colors were pink and blue. A WSU timeline entry, illustrated with the student newspaper The Evergreen of November 14, 1900, records a committee approving the change to crimson and gray, and a later Daily Evergreen article citing that issue says the change followed a majority vote of the student body. In 2011, a Nike-designed athletics rebrand brought new shades of crimson and gray to Cougar uniforms, along with a brand and identity standards manual.
Sources: timeline.wsu.edu · dailyevergreen.com · wsucougars.com
Photo: Spicypepper999, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Spicypepper999, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Richardmouser, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Washington State primary colors
| Color | HEX | RGB | CMYK | Pantone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crimson | #A60F2D | 166, 15, 45 | 0, 100, 63, 31 | PMS 201 C | |
| Gray | #4D4D4D | 77, 77, 77 | 34, 24, 24, 64 | PMS 7540 C | |
| White | #FFFFFF | 255, 255, 255 | 0, 0, 0, 0 | — |
Washington State secondary colors
| Color | HEX | RGB | CMYK | Pantone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red | #CA1237 | 202, 18, 55 | 14, 100, 82, 4 | PMS 186 C | |
| Black | #000000 | 0, 0, 0 | 0, 0, 0, 100 | Neutral Black | |
| Black 80% | #1F1F1F | — | — | — | |
| Black 70% | #4D4D4D | — | — | — | |
| Black 60% | #808080 | — | — | — | |
| Black 50% | #A6A6A6 | — | — | — | |
| Black 40% | #CCCCCC | — | — | — | |
| Black 30% | #EBEBEB | — | — | — |
Additional Washington State palette colors
| Color | HEX | RGB | CMYK | Pantone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn | #FF6727 | 225, 103, 39 | 0, 68, 96, 0 | PMS 165 C | |
| Goldfinch | #F3E700 | 243, 231, 0 | 2, 0, 98, 0 | PMS 3945 C | |
| Vineyard | #AADC24 | 170, 220, 36 | 34, 0, 95, 0 | PMS 2290 C | |
| Pacific Sky | #5BC3F5 | 91, 195, 245 | 58, 0, 0, 0 | PMS 2985 C | |
| Midnight | #002D61 | 0, 45, 97 | 100, 69, 0, 56 | PMS 648 C |
Matching Washington State colors on clothing
Clothing sold as a given color can be noticeably off from Washington 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 Washington State's official colors. The pieces below are the closest in-stock matches, out of 1002 styles close to Crimson, 1962 styles close to Gray.
Clothing in Crimson #A60F2D
Blank apparel whose fabric color is a close match to Crimson, measured from the garment itself. 1002 matching styles in stock.
Clothing in Gray #4D4D4D
Blank apparel whose fabric color is a close match to Gray, measured from the garment itself. 1962 matching styles in stock.
Washington State colors: frequently asked questions
What are Washington State school colors?
Washington State University's school colors are Crimson (#A60F2D) and Gray (#4D4D4D). The official brand palette also includes White as a primary color, plus 13 more secondary and supporting colors.
What is the hex code for Washington State Crimson?
Washington State Crimson is #A60F2D (RGB 166, 15, 45, CMYK 0, 100, 63, 31).
What is the hex code for Washington State Gray?
Washington State Gray is #4D4D4D (RGB 77, 77, 77, CMYK 34, 24, 24, 64).
What Pantone color is Washington State Crimson?
Washington State Crimson is PMS 201 C.
What Pantone color is Washington State Gray?
Washington State Gray is PMS 7540 C.
Why are Washington State's colors Crimson and Gray?
The school's first colors were pink and blue. A WSU timeline entry, illustrated with the student newspaper The Evergreen of November 14, 1900, records a committee approving the change to crimson and gray, and a later Daily Evergreen article citing that issue says the change followed a majority vote of the student body.
Color values are taken from the official Washington State University brand standards (source), checked October 2026. Sweatshirt Station is not affiliated with or endorsed by Washington 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.