The best college graduation gifts are those that will actually get used by the new college graduate. If you've ever thought about gifting a boring book of quotes to a new grad, helpful list of practical college graduation gift ideas was written just for you.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The Motherhood and Church Hill Classics. I was compensated to write this post. #EarnItFrameIt
Graduation is an exciting time in the graduate's life and deserves to be celebrated to the fullest with well thought out gifts. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but those boring books with quotes will never get opened and will eventually end up in the donate pile.
So instead, put a little thought into what to give to graduates that will help them celebrate in style and actually be useful to their future home and career. I promise, these graduation gift ideas are sure to please the college graduate in your life!
10 Best College Graduation Gift Ideas They Will Actually Use and Love
Money
Whether they're saving up for a big graduation trip to celebrate their graduation or saving up to move out on their own, college students always appreciate cash for a college graduation gift! While you can just stick some cash or a check inside a card, there are some really fun and creative ways to give money as gifts, too. Either way, graduates love money gifts!
Prepaid Gift Cards
Whether it's to be used for gas, the movies, or even restaurants, prepaid gift cards are perfect gifts for graduates that will, most likely, be strapped for cash until they land their first "real world" job. Once again, get creative on the presentation to add to the "wow factor".
Briefcase or Personalized Professional Bag
If your college graduate is going into the business world, a really nice briefcase would be perfect for their future job. It will send them into the "real world" in style and they will be able to dress the part right from the start. If your graduate is going to be going into teaching, a really nice teacher bag would be great for them, too, since they'll be carrying all those papers to grade and teacher's manuals back and forth from work to home.
Luggage
Another college graduation gift idea that works for all graduates is a good set of luggage. Whether they're heading out on a graduation trip, taking a job with travel requirements, or not, they will probably travel at some point. A good luggage set is so versatile and can be used for lots of things in their future.
Housewares
If your graduate is moving out on their own, setting up a new apartment is hard work and a lot of money when starting from scratch. Grab them a set of dishes or a versatile small appliance to make setting up their first apartment a breeze.
Resume' Supplies
Help your college graduate make an impression and start getting their resume' out to prospective jobs with a basket of nice resume' supplies. Some ideas include a nice set of resume' paper and matching envelopes, a personalized return address stamp, a nice personalized pen, and a sheet of postage stamps.
Business Cards or Business Card Holder
Along the same lines as the resume' supplies, business cards will help your new graduate make an impression with prospective employers and will help them network easily. While they may not have a job yet, a simple design without the job title can help them hand out information to people they meet in public. If business cards is too personal and risky for your level of relationship with the college graduate, opt for a personalized business card holder that they can use to fill themselves after they settle on a business card design or find a job.
Keepsake Box for Tassel
Make them a shadow box with their graduation announcement, a picture of them on graduation day, and their graduation cap tassel to display for years to come. This framed college keepsake gift is a nice way to proactively help them preserve the memories of their special day. So often, people have the best of intentions, but very often toss it in a box and things get ruined.
School Memorabilia That Isn't Clothing
These days you can find almost anything with your graduate's school emblem on it. Most likely they have plenty of school t-shirts, but what about a crockpot, cornhole game, or a nice water bottle with their college emblem to show their school spirit?
If your student graduates from a big university that has lots of memorabilia available, that could be really easy for your graduate to purchase in the future. However, as a graduate of a small college with memorabilia that can only be found in the college bookstore on campus on the rare trips back, I would still cherish some things with my college emblem on it that I wouldn't have normally bought for myself as a broke college student.
College Diploma Frames
The college diploma frames from Church Hill Classics are beautiful and come in a variety of school emblems. Church Hill Classics is a professional framing company that helps graduates and families preserve and showcase those hard-earned diplomas with officially licensed frames.
With all of their diploma frames handcrafted in the USA, Church Hill Classics offers an extensive selection of custom frame styles for more than 1,500 colleges and universities. I guarantee your college graduate will hang this in their future office or home for years to come.
Favorite College Graduation Gift Idea
A few years ago, my younger brother graduated from Florida State University. He had a list of accomplishments, but graduating from college was one of the biggest.
I couldn't have been prouder of him and all he worked for over the college years. That's why I wanted to get him something that was meaningful and would celebrate his accomplishment while displaying his hard earned diploma.
After all the time and money spent earning a degree, I would have hated for his diploma to end up in a drawer only to be forgotten and hidden. When he graduated, I got him the Florida State University diploma frame from Church Hill Classics and he couldn't have been more pleased with it!
Whatever you end up giving as a college graduation gift, graduates will feel loved just knowing you support them and celebrate their accomplishment.