Individuals with skin of color (SOC) have increased epidermal melanin that protects against photocarcinogenesis but increases the risk of vitamin D deficiency. Whether recommendations on photoprotection should differ for SOC is an important public health question, and few studies have examined the association between photoprotection and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels in SOC populations, particularly in Asian individuals. We analyzed the data of 8269 adults aged 20-59 years (3050 Non-Hispanic White [NHW], 2001 Hispanic, 1042 Non-Hispanic Asian [NHA], 1848 Non-Hispanic Black [NHB], 328 other race/multiracial) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011-2016. After adjusting for survey cycle, season, age, sex, race-ethnicity, education, income to poverty ratio, body mass index, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, vitamin D intake, and other photoprotection methods, sunscreen use was not associated with significant change in 25(OH)D (0.317 nmol/L/unit increase in frequency, p=0.393). Lower 25(OH)D was seen with increased shade seeking (-2.304 nmol/L/unit increase in frequency, p<0.001) and long sleeve use (-0.874 nmol/L/unit increase in frequency, p=0.009). Heterogeneity of effects by race-ethnicity was present for shade seeking (likelihood ratio test [LRT], p=0.030) but not sunscreen or long sleeve use (LRT, p=0.438 and p=0.265). When stratified by race-ethnicity, the association between shade seeking and decreased 25(OH)D was stronger in NHW individuals (-2.877 nmol/L/unit increase in frequency, p<0.001) than in NHA (-0.734 nmol/L/unit increase in frequency, p=0.044 vs. NHW) and NHB participants (-0.486 nmol/L/unit increase in frequency, p<0.001 vs. NHW). In summary, we found that long sleeve use and shade seeking, but not sunscreen use, were associated with lower 25(OH)D across all participants, with NHA and NHB individuals showing less decrease in 25(OH)D with shade seeking, which may shift the risk-benefit ratio of shade seeking in these populations.