The emblem of each university in the United States generally falls into three categories: the Seal (usually simply referred to as the school's emblem), the Shield, and the University Logo.School seals and emblems generally have the same official seal patterns as the school's official seal, and are used in the most formal occasions (such as academic conferences, graduations, school anniversaries, etc.). The shield-shaped school emblem, as its name suggests, is in the shape of a shield. It is usually used in less important formal occasions than the above, such as on the school's official website, the cover of the lecture notes, and poster displays.

The university logo is the most widely used, whether in academia, culture, or sports competitions. It is the most direct representation of a school. They often appear on cultural shirts, school flags, school gates, sports stadiums, libraries, souvenirs, websites, news, and various places related to the school.