#278AB5 Hex Color
Muted blue with a steady hand
Not a vivid cerulean or a deep navy, #278ab5 sits in the middle: a muted, medium blue with a cool gray undertone. That restraint makes it a steady base for finance, healthcare, and tech branding. It holds black text at 5.4:1 contrast, so small body copy passes AA. Pair it with warm sand or terracotta to keep it from reading corporate.
Questions about #278ab5
What is #278ab5 in RGB, HSL and CMYK?
In RGB, #278ab5 is rgb(39, 138, 181), in HSL hsl(198, 65%, 43%) and in CMYK 78%, 24%, 0%, 29%.
What colors pair well with #278ab5?
Warm neutrals like sand and terracotta balance its cool gray undertone, and deep charcoal keeps it grounded. Cream backgrounds flatter it more than stark white, which can wash it out.
Is #278ab5 readable on white or black?
#278ab5 has a 3.89:1 contrast ratio on white and 5.38:1 on black. WCAG asks for 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text, so on white it works only for large text (24px, or 18.5px bold) and on black it works for body text. Try other pairs in the contrast checker.