Skip to content
https://rutgers.edu

Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
60
GRADE
D
FIX
6
REVIEW
2
PASS
5
INFO
0
Checks
13
5 PASS 2 REVIEW 6 FIX
F
Favicon & Branding
Action
1 icon(s) detected
FIX
1 icon(s) detected
Warning::
No favicon.ico at site root
Some older browsers, bookmark tools, and RSS readers look for /favicon.ico. Add one as a fallback.
Info::
HTML icon links detected
Info::
No apple-touch-icon detected
iOS devices use this when users add your site to their home screen. Add <link rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='180x180' href='/apple-touch-icon.png'>.
✗ favicon.ico Missing
✓ PNG Icons Present
✗ Apple Touch Missing
✗ SVG Favicon Missing
✗ Manifest Icons Missing
✗ Multiple Sizes Missing
D
Web Manifest
Action
Not found
FIX
Not found
Info::
No web manifest found
No manifest at standard paths (/manifest.json, /site.webmanifest). A manifest is optional but enables PWA features like home screen installation and standalone display.

No web manifest found.

D
Dark Mode Support
Action
No dark mode signals
FIX
No dark mode signals
Info::
No dark mode signals detected
Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.
Info::
Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles
External CSS files may contain prefers-color-scheme rules not visible to this scan.
Dark ModeNo Dark Mode Detected
color-scheme meta Not set ✗Dark theme-color Not set ✗CSS indicators Not detected ✗

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.

D
Print Stylesheet
Action
No print styles
FIX
No print styles
Info::
No print-specific styles detected
When users print this page, they get the screen layout including navigation and non-essential elements. Add @media print rules to hide navigation and optimize layout for paper.
Print Stylesheet No Print Styles
Print stylesheet Not found ✗Inline @media print Not detected ✗
F
Navigation UX
Action
1 navigation pattern(s)
FIX
1 navigation pattern(s)
Info::
Skip navigation link detected
Info::
11 navigation landmark(s) detected
Info::
Hamburger menu detected (responsive design)
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link Skip link detected
Labeled Navigation 11 <nav> element(s)
Back to Top
Hamburger Menu
Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)
3 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Strong navigation UX with multiple discovery paths.
B
404 Error Page
HTTP 404, custom page
REVIEW
HTTP 404, custom page
Info::
Correct 404 status code returned
Got: HTTP 404
Info::
Custom styled 404 page
Info::
Navigation links present on 404 page
Info::
Homepage link present on 404 page
404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page
Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title Close ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✓Search Form ✗
C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 16 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.

4 pass 16 fail WCAG AA
h2 Utility Mobile
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 #16 Public University
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport · over background image/gradient
h2 Site Footer
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 Connect
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h3 Where did you get your t-shirt?
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport · over background image/gradient
h3 When does Summer Session begin?
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport · over background image/gradient
h3 When will my financial aid package be av…
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport · over background image/gradient
h3 How can I access career services online?
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport · over background image/gradient
h3 When do the Scarlet Knights play next?
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport · over background image/gradient
h3 Follow Us
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Academic
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Notices
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Follow Us
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
label Search Rutgers
2.51:1
#000000
on
#4C5121
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area) · over background image/gradient
label Search this site
3.53:1
#000000
on
#5D6660
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold · over background image/gradient
label Search all Rutgers
3.44:1
#000000
on
#68624C
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold · over background image/gradient

9 contrast failures on background images/gradients

These failures are invisible to CSS-based accessibility tools like Lighthouse. The text may be fine on a solid background, but fails when rendered over an image or gradient.

Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h2 Enter a Search Term15.62:13.0:1
#000000
#D6E0E2
Pass
h2 Utility Mobile1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h2 #16 Public Universit…1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h2 Site Footer1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h2 Connect1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h3 Where did you get yo…1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h3 When does Summer Ses…1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h3 When will my financi…1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h3 How can I access car…1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h3 When do the Scarlet …1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h3 Follow Us1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h3 Academic1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h3 Notices1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h3 Follow Us1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
title Rutgers University21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
a Skip to main content21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
label Search Rutgers2.51:14.5:1
#000000
#4C5121
Fail
label Search this site3.53:14.5:1
#000000
#5D6660
Fail
label Search all Rutgers3.44:14.5:1
#000000
#68624C
Fail
label Search People9.53:14.5:1
#000000
#B9AD9D
Pass

Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

A
Landmark Structure
19 landmarks
PASS
19 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
11 <nav> landmark(s) found
Warning::
8 of 11 <nav> elements are unlabeled
Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.
Info::
Skip navigation link present
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER header NAV "Rutgers Locations Menu" MAIN CONTENTINFO footer

Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.

Why this matters

Some <nav> elements lack aria-label — screen-reader users hear 'navigation' multiple times with no way to distinguish them.

Learn more ▾

When a page has multiple <nav> regions (primary, footer, breadcrumb), each needs aria-label or aria-labelledby. AT users navigate by landmark; identical 'navigation' announcements force them to enter each one to discover purpose.

Source: WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices

A
Heading Hierarchy
38 headings
PASS
38 headings
Warning::
Multiple H1 headings (2 found)
A page should have only one H1. Multiple H1s dilute the document outline.
  • H2 Enter a Search Term
  • H2 Utility Mobile
  • H1 Home
  • H1 Picture Yourself at Rutgers duplicate H1
  • H2 Experience Rutgers for Yourself
  • H2 Spotlight: Rutgers School of Dental Medicine
  • H2 #16 Public University
  • H2 Get Ready for Rutgers Day!
  • H2 Internships and Career Success
  • H2 Estimate Your Cost of Attending Rutgers
  • H2 The Big Picture
  • H2 Explore Rutgers
  • H2 By the Numbers
  • H2 People Are Asking...
  • H3 Where did you get your t-shirt?
  • H3 When does Summer Session begin?
  • H3 When will my financial aid package be available?
  • H3 How can I access career services online?
  • H3 When do the Scarlet Knights play next?
  • H2 Events
  • H3 Rutgers Day 2026
  • H3 MGSA 50: Mason Gross School of the Arts Golden Anniversary
  • H3 Information Sessions & Tours
  • H3 School of Engineering Capstone Senior Design Expo
  • H2 Rutgers Today
  • H3 Rutgers Day Invites New Jersey to Explore, Play and Celebrate
  • H3 Three Students Earn Goldwater Scholarships Recognizing Rising Stars in the Sciences
  • H3 As a Death Doula, Rutgers Graduate Student Brings Peace to End-of-Life Care
  • H3 New Exhibit Showcases New Jersey’s Prominent Role in American Revolution
  • H3 Alum Who Works for the ACLU Is Named a Gates Cambridge Scholar
  • H2 Follow Rutgers
  • H3 Follow Us
  • H2 Welcome Home
  • H2 Site Footer
  • H2 Connect
  • H3 Academic
  • H3 Notices
  • H3 Follow Us

A page should have only one H1. Multiple H1s dilute the document outline.

Why this matters

Multiple H1s blur the page's primary topic — screen-reader users and Google both prefer one H1.

Learn more ▾

HTML5's outline algorithm technically allows multiple H1s within sectioning content, but no browser implements it. In practice: one H1 per page. Use H2-H6 for subsections.

Source: WCAG 2.4.6 / Google Search Central

A+
Alt Text Quality
All 18 images OK
PASS
All 18 images OK
Info::
18 image(s) with good alt text
18 images 18 good alt text
All images have appropriate alt text.
A+
Form Accessibility
All 5 controls labeled
PASS
All 5 controls labeled
Info::
5 control(s) properly labeled
5 controls
5 labeled
0 placeholder only
0 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
#69e7c48a28a95texttextSearch Rutgersfor/id
#69e7c48a28a95search-type--this-siteradioSearch this sitefor/id
#69e7c48a28a95search-type--all-rutgersradioSearch all Rutgersfor/id
#69e7c48a28a95search-type--peopleradioSearch Peoplefor/id
#gsc-i-id1textsearcharia-label
A
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 93/100 — 3 failing, 24 passed
PASS
93

Accessibility

These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.

ARIA

Using ARIA attributes in roles where they are prohibited can mean that important information is not communicated to users of assistive technologies. Learn more about prohibited ARIA roles.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Picture Yourself at Rutgers div.cl--component-list > section.cc--component-container > div.c--component > div.background-image

These are opportunities to improve the usage of ARIA in your application which may enhance the experience for users of assistive technology, like a screen reader.

Best practices

Touch targets with sufficient size and spacing help users who may have difficulty targeting small controls to activate the targets. Learn more about touch targets.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Arts div.text-container > div.right-col > div.f--field > a
Information Session div.text-container > div.right-col > div.f--field > a
Honors and Awards div.text-container > div.right-col > div.f--field > a

These items highlight common accessibility best practices.

Visible text labels that do not match the accessible name can result in a confusing experience for screen reader users. Learn more about accessible names.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Watch Video div.c--component > div.text-wrapper > div.video-link-list-wrapper > a.icon-play
○Interactive controls are keyboard focusable
○Interactive elements indicate their purpose and state
○The page has a logical tab order
○Visual order on the page follows DOM order
○User focus is not accidentally trapped in a region
○The user's focus is directed to new content added to the page
○HTML5 landmark elements are used to improve navigation
○Offscreen content is hidden from assistive technology
○Custom controls have associated labels
○Custom controls have ARIA roles
●`[aria-*]` attributes match their roles
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` is not present on the document `<body>`
●`[role]`s have all required `[aria-*]` attributes
●`[role]` values are valid
●`[aria-*]` attributes have valid values
●`[aria-*]` attributes are valid and not misspelled
●Buttons have an accessible name
●Image elements have `[alt]` attributes
●`[user-scalable="no"]` is not used in the `<meta name="viewport">` element and the `[maximum-scale]` attribute is not less than 5.
●ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents
●Background and foreground colors have a sufficient contrast ratio
●Document has a `<title>` element
●`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute
●`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute
●Links are distinguishable without relying on color.
●Links have a discernible name
●Lists contain only `<li>` elements and script supporting elements (`<script>` and `<template>`).
●List items (`<li>`) are contained within `<ul>`, `<ol>` or `<menu>` parent elements
●No element has a `[tabindex]` value greater than 0
●Heading elements appear in a sequentially-descending order
●Document has a main landmark.
●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
●Identical links have the same purpose.
○`[accesskey]` values are unique
○`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names
○Elements with `role="dialog"` or `role="alertdialog"` have accessible names.
○ARIA input fields have accessible names
○ARIA `meter` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `progressbar` elements have accessible names
○Elements with an ARIA `[role]` that require children to contain a specific `[role]` have all required children.
○`[role]`s are contained by their required parent element
○Elements with the `role=text` attribute do not have focusable descendents.
○ARIA toggle fields have accessible names
○ARIA `tooltip` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `treeitem` elements have accessible names
○The page contains a heading, skip link, or landmark region
○`<dl>`'s contain only properly-ordered `<dt>` and `<dd>` groups, `<script>`, `<template>` or `<div>` elements.
○Definition list items are wrapped in `<dl>` elements
○ARIA IDs are unique
○No form fields have multiple labels
○`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title
○`<html>` element has an `[xml:lang]` attribute with the same base language as the `[lang]` attribute.
○Input buttons have discernible text.
○`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text
○Form elements have associated labels
○The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`
○`<object>` elements have alternate text
○Select elements have associated label elements.
○Skip links are focusable.
○Cells in a `<table>` element that use the `[headers]` attribute refer to table cells within the same table.
○`<th>` elements and elements with `[role="columnheader"/"rowheader"]` have data cells they describe.
○`[lang]` attributes have a valid value
○`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`
○Tables have different content in the summary attribute and `<caption>`.
○All heading elements contain content.
○Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements
○Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.
○Tables use `<caption>` instead of cells with the `[colspan]` attribute to indicate a caption.
○`<td>` elements in a large `<table>` have one or more table headers.
All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.

Send Feedback