Final answer:
Skin color is determined by melanocytes in the stratum basale, which produce the pigment melanin.
Step-by-step explanation:
The epidermal layer responsible for skin color is the stratum basale. This layer contains melanocytes, which are cells that produce the pigment known as melanin.
Melanin is primarily responsible for giving skin its diverse range of colors. These melanocytes in the stratum basale transfer the melanin to keratinocytes in the same layer, which then move up to the skin's surface through the other layers. The presence and concentration of melanin in the skin determines the variation of skin tones in individuals.