Graduation hoods are more than tradition - they are a visual system. In most US ceremonies, the velvet trim color communicates a graduate’s academic discipline, while the lining typically represents institutional colors. This guide is built for both students and graduation coordinators who need a fast, consistent way to confirm the correct hood velvet color and standardize ordering.
How hood colors work in most US ceremonies
In the most common US system, the academic hood has two color signals:
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Velvet trim - the discipline or field of study (example: Engineering, Education, Science).
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Hood lining - the institution (often school colors), sometimes with chevrons for multi-color linings.
If someone asks “what color hood do I need?” clarify what they mean: velvet color (discipline) or lining (school colors). Most mistakes happen when those get mixed up.
Graduation hood velvet color chart (discipline mapping)
Use this chart to select the velvet trim color. If your institution has a published regalia guide, follow that first. If not, these are widely used discipline-to-color assignments.
| Discipline | Velvet color | Swatch | Common examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | Maize | Agriculture, agronomy, crop science | |
| Arts, Letters, Humanities | White | English, history, languages, humanities | |
| Business / Commerce / Accountancy | Drab (tan) | Business admin, accounting, management | |
| Education | Light Blue | MEd, EdD, teacher preparation | |
| Engineering | Orange | Mechanical, civil, electrical, computer engineering | |
| Law | Purple | JD, LLM (often mapped) | |
| Medicine | Green | MD, DO (institution-dependent) | |
| Music | Pink | Music performance, composition | |
| Pharmacy | Olive Green | PharmD | |
| Science | Golden Yellow | Biology, chemistry, physics, math (often) | |
| Theology | Scarlet | Divinity, theology | |
| Forestry | Russet | Forestry, natural resources |
Coordinator playbook: prevent hood color mistakes
Most hood mistakes come from unclear program-to-discipline mapping, dual programs, or school-specific exceptions that never made it into ordering instructions.
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1
Confirm the degree awarded (BA vs BS, MS vs MA, PhD vs professional doctorate). Hood length and shape differ by level.
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Map the program to a discipline using registrar program lists or your catalog degree designations, not a student’s concentration title.
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3
Check for exceptions: interdisciplinary programs, dual degrees, or internal traditions that override the standard mapping.
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4
Lock velvet trim and lining separately. Velvet is discipline; lining is institution.
- Dual majors: pick the discipline tied to the degree college or the primary program designation.
- Interdisciplinary programs: assign the closest standard discipline bucket and document it.
- Doctoral conventions: some schools apply internal rules (example: consistent doctoral velvet) - document it so ordering is repeatable.
Student-friendly: choose the right velvet color in 60 seconds
If you are ordering for yourself and your school did not give you a specific velvet color:
- Find your degree type (example: BS, BA, MS, MBA, EdD, PhD).
- Use the chart above to pick the velvet trim color that matches your discipline.
- If you are unsure, ask your department coordinator or commencement office which discipline they assign to your program.
- Do not guess based on school colors - lining is school colors, velvet is discipline.
Pro tip: If your major name is unusual (example: “Human Systems Engineering”), it usually maps back to a standard discipline bucket (Engineering in this case) unless your institution publishes a different mapping.
