Cadet Navy color code: #4B6584

A mid-tone service blue with balanced saturation.

Slate Navy
#4B6584

Cadet Navy · rgb(75, 101, 132)

Every format for Cadet Navy

HEX
#4B6584
RGB
rgb(75, 101, 132)
HSL
hsl(213, 28%, 41%)
HSV
213°, 43%, 52%
CMYK
43%, 23%, 0%, 48%
Lightness
41% · mid-tone

Hue sits at 213°, which makes Cadet Navy a slightly cool blue navy, with 28% saturation. In the Slate Navy family it reads as a mid-tone option.

Text contrast on Cadet Navy

Contrast ratios are calculated using the WCAG 2.1 relative luminance formula. Normal body text needs 4.5:1 and large text needs 3:1 to pass AA.

White text on Cadet Navy

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

6.01:1 — AA for normal text

Black text on Cadet Navy

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

3.49:1 — AA for large text only

Cadet Navy text on white

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

6.01:1 — AA for normal text

Accessibility notes

  • Pair Cadet Navy with white text for the strongest reading experience: that combination gives 6.01:1.
  • Used as a text colour on white, it clears the 3:1 bar for large headings.
  • Never rely on Cadet Navy alone to communicate state. Add an icon, label or underline so the meaning survives for colour-blind users and in greyscale printing.
  • When placing text over a photograph tinted with Cadet Navy, add a solid overlay first. Contrast measured against a flat colour does not hold over varying imagery.

Using Cadet Navy in CSS and HTML

CSS example

:root {
  --cadet-navy: #4B6584;
}

.panel {
  background-color: var(--cadet-navy);
  color: #FFFFFF;
  border: 1px solid #4B6584;
}

HTML example

<div style="background-color: #4B6584; color: #FFFFFF; padding: 1rem;">
  Cadet Navy #4B6584
</div>

Common uses

  • Primary buttons, active navigation states and chart series.
  • Slate Navy palettes for brand systems that need a dependable cool anchor.
  • Print work where a deep blue is preferred to black, using the CMYK build 43%, 23%, 0%, 48%.
  • Data visualisation, as one step in a lightness-based navy scale.

Design recommendations

  • Build lighter and darker variants by changing only the lightness in hsl(213, 28%, 41%). Keeping hue fixed is what makes a scale look intentional.
  • Give Cadet Navy at least one warm counterweight. A cool palette with no warm accent tends to read as cold rather than calm.
  • Saturation is moderate, which makes this shade forgiving across large areas and long reading sessions.

Complementary and matching colors

Each of these is derived from the hue, saturation and lightness of Cadet Navy. Click a swatch to copy it.

Complementary #B49979
Split complement #B47C79
Warm accent #C7B360
Analogous cool #86B8BB
Analogous warm #8986BB
Triadic #A96684

Similar navy shades

Smoke Navy

Slate Navy

HEX
#45566B
RGB
69, 86, 107
HSL
213, 22%, 35%
CMYK
36%, 20%, 0%, 58%

Harbor Blue

Slate Navy

HEX
#33566E
RGB
51, 86, 110
HSL
204, 37%, 32%
CMYK
54%, 22%, 0%, 57%

Storm Navy

Slate Navy

HEX
#3E4E62
RGB
62, 78, 98
HSL
213, 23%, 31%
CMYK
37%, 20%, 0%, 62%

Muted Navy

Slate Navy

HEX
#37475A
RGB
55, 71, 90
HSL
213, 24%, 28%
CMYK
39%, 21%, 0%, 65%

Slate Navy

Slate Navy

HEX
#2F4156
RGB
47, 65, 86
HSL
212, 29%, 26%
CMYK
45%, 24%, 0%, 66%

Graphite Blue

Slate Navy

HEX
#2C3A47
RGB
44, 58, 71
HSL
209, 23%, 23%
CMYK
38%, 18%, 0%, 72%

Continue exploring

FAQs about Cadet Navy

What is the Cadet Navy color code?

The Cadet Navy color code is #4B6584 in HEX, rgb(75, 101, 132) in RGB and hsl(213, 28%, 41%) in HSL.

What is the RGB value of Cadet Navy?

Cadet Navy is rgb(75, 101, 132), meaning 75 units of red, 101 of green and 132 of blue on the 0 to 255 scale.

What is the CMYK value of Cadet Navy?

In CMYK, Cadet Navy converts to approximately 43%, 23%, 0%, 48%. Printed output will look slightly less saturated than the screen preview because CMYK covers a narrower gamut.

Does white text work on Cadet Navy?

White text on Cadet Navy gives a contrast ratio of 6.01:1, which is AA for normal text.

Does black text work on Cadet Navy?

Black text on Cadet Navy gives a contrast ratio of 3.49:1, which is AA for large text only.

Which colors go with Cadet Navy?

Its direct complement is #B49979, and the warm accent #C7B360 works well for calls to action. For a quieter scheme, pair it with the analogous blues listed above.

Is Cadet Navy a light or dark navy?

At 41% lightness, Cadet Navy is classed as a mid-tone navy in this collection.