The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for all users by meeting Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA accessibility standards.
Use the guide below to identify approved color and background combinations that meet contrast requirements. A contrast ratio of 4.5:1 or higher is considered compliant for most text.
Color contrast plays a key role in readability and accessibility. To meet current standards, always use approved combinations and pay close attention when using reverse type (light text on dark backgrounds) or text overlays on images.
According to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines:
- Level AA compliance requires:
- A minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text
- A minimum contrast ratio of 3:1 for large text
- Level AAA compliance requires:
- A minimum contrast ratio of 7:1 for normal text
- A minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for large text
Large text is defined as 14 point (≈18.66px) and bold or larger, or 18 point (≈24px) or larger.
Note: Our color contrast guide includes both true black (#000000) and the UMB black (#2c2a29) used in the UMB logo, ensuring flexibility while maintaining accessibility compliance across all digital applications.