The City University of New York Logo
The The City University of New York logo uses 1 primary color. Its dominant color is Surf the Web (#1D3A83, closest Pantone 6105 C). The City University of New York operates in the Education industry.
Design analysis
The CUNY identity is a pure wordmark — no symbol, icon, or monogram accompanies the four letters. The custom-drawn sans-serif letterforms are geometric but not mechanical: the C opens with a wide aperture, the U sits on a flat base rather than a curve, and the N and Y share a consistent stroke weight that reads as confident and institutional. This construction makes the mark highly legible at small sizes (down to a favicon or letterhead footer) because there are no thin serifs, fine details, or interlocking shapes to lose fidelity. In the higher-education sector, where many peers pair a crest or shield with a logotype, CUNY's decision to rely solely on typography signals a modern, systems-oriented brand that must work across 25 distinct colleges without a unifying pictorial element.
Logo colors, measured
Colors extracted from the logo image itself (background removed), with share of the mark each color covers.
Click a chip to copy its hex code.
The single measured hue #1D3A83 is a deep, academic blue that sits darker than the typical university palette (often lighter royal or navy blues). This darkness conveys gravitas and permanence while remaining legible on both white and light-grey backgrounds. In a city where Columbia's light blue and NYU's violet compete for visual territory, CUNY's saturated midnight tone differentiates without clashing, and it reproduces reliably in one-colour print, embroidery, and digital dark-mode contexts.
Variations & downloads
Color variants generated from the vector source — free to download for identification, editorial and research use.
Visually similar logos
Nearest neighbors in visual embedding space — marks that share shape and structure with the The City University of New York logo, regardless of color or industry.
Brand web palette
Colors The City University of New York uses across its website — the broader brand system around the logo.
About The City University of New York
The City University of New York (CUNY) is the nation's largest urban public university, serving as a transformative engine of social mobility and a vital part of New York City's fabric. Established in 1847 as the country's first free public institution of higher education, CUNY now comprises 25 colleges spread across all five boroughs, catering to the educational needs of 243,000 degree-seeking students of all ages. With an impressive annual output of 55,000 degrees, CUNY plays a central role in diversifying and strengthening the city's workforce in various sectors. CUNY's historic mission, as enshrined in state education law, is to provide a high-quality education to all students, irrespective of their background or financial means. As a result, more than 80% of CUNY graduates choose to stay in New York, making substantial contributions to the city's economic, civic, and cultural spheres. With an illustrious history, including 13 Nobel Prizes and 26 MacArthur Genius Grants awarded to its graduates and faculty, CUNY continues to foster academic excellence and societal progress. By offering exceptional access, academic quality, and strong industry connections, CUNY empowers students to achieve their career goals and realize their American dream
Questions about the The City University of New York logo
Does CUNY use a separate seal or shield alongside the wordmark?
CUNY maintains a historic university seal for formal documents such as diplomas and presidential communications, but the everyday public identity across campuses, websites, and marketing is the standalone CUNY wordmark. The seal is reserved for ceremonial use and does not appear in standard brand applications.
How does the logo adapt for individual colleges like Hunter or Baruch?
Each college retains its own approved logo (often a wordmark or monogram) while the CUNY system wordmark appears as an endorsing mark — typically placed below or beside the college logo in a consistent size relationship. This architecture lets each campus keep its distinct identity while signalling affiliation with the larger university.
What color is the The City University of New York logo?
The dominant color of the The City University of New York logo is Surf the Web (hex #1D3A83). The closest Pantone match is 6105 C.
How many colors does the The City University of New York logo have?
The The City University of New York logo uses 1 primary color: #1D3A83.
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The The City University of New York logo is a trademark of its owner, shown here for identification and design research. Color data is measured from the public mark by LogoLabs; analysis is editorial commentary. No affiliation or endorsement is implied.