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Graduation Cord Colors: What They Mean and Why They Matter

When preparing for your graduation ceremony, you'll notice an array of colorful accessories that make up the traditional graduation attire. One of the most significant pieces of graduation regalia is the graduation cord. But what do the graduation cord colors mean, and how do they reflect your academic journey? Tassel Depot is here to help make the picture a bit clearer.

Understanding the meaning of the graduation cord color helps you appreciate the significance of each cord worn on this special day. From recognizing academic honors to celebrating involvement in honor societies or sororities like Zeta Tau Alpha, graduation cords are a symbol of your hard work and dedication.

What Do the Graduation Cord Colors Mean?

Graduation cord colors symbolize different achievements, affiliations, and honors. Each cord color carries specific meanings related to a graduate’s academic, extracurricular, or service accomplishments. Whether you're earning summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or membership in an honor society, the right cords for graduation will help you proudly display your achievements.

At every graduation, students may wear single cords, braided cords, or braided graduation cords in solid colors or color combinations that signify high academic achievement or dual accomplishment in different academic disciplines.

Common Graduation Honor Cord Colors and Their Meanings

Here are some common graduation cord colors and what they often represent:

  • Gold Cords: Excellence and academic achievement, often worn by honor students and honors graduates.
  • White Cords: Represent the arts and humanities and are also common in honors graduation ceremonies.
  • Silver Cords: Symbolizes business studies or scientific achievements.
  • Red Cords: A popular choice for Science National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, and music honor society members.
  • Royal Blue Cords: Often worn by members of college honor societies and the National Honor Society.
  • Forest Green: Represents medicine, health, and environmental studies.
  • Turquoise Cords: Common for public health and multi-disciplinary honor programs.
  • Orange Cords: Typically signify engineering disciplines, including groups like the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
  • Sky Blue Cords: Worn by students in education fields.
Some cords are made of colors twisted together, representing membership in honors societies like Phi Beta Kappa and Gamma Phi or societies like Alpha Sigma Lambda.

Honor Cords and What They Represent

An honor cord is not just a piece of fabric—it represents your academic excellence, service, and leadership. Honor cord colors vary by institution but often share specific meanings across schools. Honor society cord colors usually correspond to the organization's brand or field of study.

For example, a student’s graduation might include a special cord for a significant number of volunteer hours or membership in an honor society like the French National Honor Society.

At some ceremonies, graduates wear additional items like stoles and a tassel to complete their graduation outfit. Graduation accessories like honor cords online allow students to customize their look with official colored cords and cords for students of high school or college achievements.

How to Choose the Right Cords for Graduation

Institutions often provide guidelines on graduation honor cord colors. Some students may earn one cord, while others may qualify for additional cords based on academic and non-academic achievements.

  • Cords identify your major, minor, or honors program.
  • Cords that represent college graduation achievements are highly prestigious.
  • Cords are often awarded to members of certain honor societies.
  • Cords are usually used to showcase specific honor designations or academic honors.
  • Cords often recognize membership in honors societies like Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority or sororities like Zeta Tau Alpha.

Whether you are celebrating a black graduation with red graduation accents or displaying pride with royal blue and white cords, graduation cords meaning can deeply personalize your academic celebration.


Celebrate Your Success Today!

Graduating is a major accomplishment, and you should celebrate every part of it. Your graduation cords represent all the time, effort, and passion you put into your journey. Whether you wear one cord or several, each one has a special meaning. From all of us at Tassel Depot, congratulations — and we can’t wait to help you shine in your graduation regalia!

If you want to learn more, feel free to contact our team today. If you are interested in reading more insights from professionals with years of experience in the field, be sure to read some of our other graduation articles whenever you find the time. 


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