The 38 best gifts for college and high school graduates, from nostalgic decor to tech they’ll thank you for later

A tablet for Netflix and surfing the web

Gift an Apple iPad, available at Amazon, $309

Since a number of companies give their employees work computers, it’s not totally necessary to get one’s own. But for streaming Netflix or surfing the web at home, an iPad can be a budget-friendly alternative that better suits their lifestyle. 

We think the 2022 standard iPad is ideal for general-purpose use, and it’s surprisingly affordable. You can read more in our buying guide for the best iPads in 2022 for every need and budget.

A commemorative map of their college town, hometown, or study abroad city

Gift a customized Grafomap poster, available on Grafomap, from $52

Commemorate their college town, hometown, or favorite place in the world with this customizable graphic map so they can keep it with them wherever life takes them.

Nice noise-canceling headphones

Gift a pair of Sony WH-1000XM4, available at Amazon, from $348

Sony’s WH-1000XM4 are our favorite noise-canceling headphones for their balance of sound quality, noise cancellation, and comfort, making them a great pick for long commutes, focusing during work, or relaxing.

They’re also one of the items featured in our list of the All-Time Best products we’ve tested.

A beautiful bouquet

Gift a bouquet, available at Urban Stems, from $45

Send flowers to your graduate — whether you’re sending them in lieu of being there yourself or as a supplement a digital gift or card. We highly recommend UrbanStems; the company’s bouquets are one of the best items we’ve ever tested. 

If you’re looking for something that won’t be gone after a couple of weeks, you’ll also find options for potted plants and low-maintenance dried bouquets.

A sleek smart mug that keeps their drinks hot

Gift the Ember Smart Mug, available at Amazon, $149.95

This mug will control the temperature of their coffee or tea, so they won’t have to reheat or dump it out every few hours. A former teammate called the Ember “life-changing.”

You can also buy a travel-friendly version.

A luxe leather messenger bag

Gift the Henderson Laptop Brief Bag, available at Leatherology, $300

Leatherology makes luxe leather goods and delivers them in gift-wrapped boxes. This laptop brief bag is one they can own for many years, and it’s a luxe step-up from the backpacks of their past. You’ll find a few more budget-friendly options at Herschel Supply Co.

School spirit gear

Gift college gear, from Fanatics, from $27.99

Get them excited for their college days or commemorate them with a wearable bit of school spirit. Fanatics is full of clothing, hats, bags, balls, games, and drinkware for NCAA schools. Your grad will be able to spot a fellow alum from miles away.

A funny, thoughtful card

Gift a card, available at Etsy, $5.95

Grab a funny, sweet card and use it to tell them how proud you are of them.

A nice bottle of bubbly

Gift a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, available at Drizly, $62.70

If they drink (and are old enough to drink), send them a nice bottle of bubbly to celebrate their big achievement. Drizly will deliver it for you.

A gift card for crisp, luxe sheets

Gift a Brooklinen gift card, from $50

Your graduate may appreciate an upgrade in bedding to match their new chapter or their new space, whether it’s their first adult apartment or a dorm.

Brooklinen is a common recommendation for us — you get premium, can’t-wait-to-go-to-bed bedding at relatively affordable prices. Read our Brooklinen sheets review here.

A slim Fitbit with plenty of features

Gift the Fitbit Inspire 2, available at Amazon, $82.74

Fitbit’s affordable Inspire 2 tracker has no shortage of useful features to keep someone informed about their physical activity — tracking calorie burn, resting heart rate, and heart rate zones. It’s also one of the least expensive Fitbit models.

You can find our ranking of the best Fitbits here.

A must-read financial guide book

Gift “I Will Teach You to Be Rich,” available at Amazon, $12.87

Good news for your grad: they can buy as many lattes as they want. They just need to choose the right accounts and investments so their money automatically grows for them.

Libby Kane, Insider’s Executive Editor for Personal Finance, says she regularly buys a new copy of this book just to give away, and it’s an excellent introduction to making the most of your personal finances — especially if your graduate is young or new to managing money.

Delicious goodies from a famous NYC bakery

Gift the Milk Bar goodies, available at Milk Bar, from $24

Milk Bar cakes are one of our go-to gifts to send to friends and family — especially when we can’t celebrate with them in person. We love their classic flavors as well as the limited-edition stuff, too. You can find a review of the Milk Bar cakes here. It’s also one of the Insider Reviews All-Time Best products.

A planner that helps map out long-term goals

Gift the Best Self Co. Journal, available at Amazon, $31.99

The Best Self Co. Journal helps people map out their five- or 10-year plans in a tangible, easily managed way. It’s a nice way to provide growth and direction after graduation, whether your graduate is on their way to college, a new job, traveling, or anything else.

A great streaming device

Gift the Roku Ultra 3, available at Amazon, $179.99

The Roku Ultra 3 stands out from other streaming device options thanks to its 4K and HDR support, speed, reliability, and large library of streaming services (Netflix, HBO Max, Rakuten Viki, etc.). Plus, if your graduate wants to watch TV on the big screen without disturbing anyone, it comes with headphones for private listening.

Read the full review of the Roku Ultra 2020 here.

A framed photo of their friends or favorite memories

Give a framed photo, available at Framebridge, from $45

Most of us appreciate some nostalgia. Since your graduate may not feel like investing in a nice frame, frame a photo of their friends or some of their favorite memories from school or home, so they can take them anywhere.

A nice business card holder

Gift the Leatherology Business Card Case, available at Leatherology, $45 (+$10 for monogramming)

If they’re entering a new career, they can hold their business cards in this polished cardholder. You can even opt to get it monogrammed, and it’ll arrive ready in a gift box.

Healthier cereal that tastes like childhood

Gift Magic Spoon Cereal, available at Magic Spoon, from $29.25

Magic Spoon tastes like the sugary cereal some of us daydreamed about as kids, but it’s high in protein and low in carbohydrates. A childlike cereal for grown-ups is a fun gift and makes the transition to full-time adult a bit easier.

You can find a full Magic Spoon review here.

An office-ready blazer

Gift the Prince Blazer, available at Of Mercer, $248

A nice, reliable blazer that can be worn for everything from interviews to days in the office (if that’s what your graduate’s next chapter includes) is a classic wardrobe staple.

Or, if you’d rather leave the decision-making up to them, give them a gift card to a store like Everlane, Banana Republic, J. Crew, Nordstrom, or Universal Standard so they can shop for their own post-graduate clothing.

A gift card for the nights when they want an Uber home

Gift an Uber gift card, from $25

Whether they’re heading into a new college town, starting a new job, or taking a gap year, there will be nights when it’s more convenient or safer for them to Uber home. Make it an easier decision with a gift card for a ride home.

An excellent cookbook that’s tailored to beginners

Gift “How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food,” available at Amazon, $18.97

Lots of graduates enter this new chapter with little cooking know-how. Mark Bittman’s cookbook, which teaches the basics in a fun, digestible way for newcomers is one of the best gifts you can give for people who don’t want to solely rely on takeout.

It even has a list of ingredients they might have in their fridge already — and recipes to make with them. We’re personally big fans of the “How to Cook Everything” cookbook.

A reliable, convenient suitcase

Gift The Carry-On, available at Away, $275

An Away suitcase is a particularly thoughtful gift for grads living far from home or planning future travel. The cult-favorite luggage has an ejectable external battery that charges devices easily on the go, 360-degree wheels for no-hassle travel, and weighs only 7.6 pounds. Throw in packing cubes if you really want to go the extra mile.

Read our full review of Away suitcases here.

A French press your graduate can rely upon

Gift the Bodum Chambord French Press, available at Amazon, $25.99

If their new job or college major requires lots of early mornings, they’ll probably appreciate a good cup of coffee. We love the Bodum Chambord French Press; it’s timeless, compact, easy to operate, and entirely unfussy. It’s also affordable — so they don’t need to be too precious with it.

You can find all our favorite French presses here, though this is our number one pick.

A Disney+ membership

Gift a Disney Plus membership, $7.99 per month

We all occasionally want a break from being a grownup — and Disney Plus is a good place to do it. Disney Plus lets subscribers stream movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and more. You can also bundle it with Hulu and ESPN+.

An air fryer to make fast, delicious meals

Gift the Premium Airfryer XXL, available at Philips, $349.95

There’s a reason people seem obsessed with air fryers recently. They’re exceptionally convenient and can whip up everything from salmon and veggies to French toast sticks.

Shop our pick for the best air fryer, which heats up within seconds and turns out evenly crispy food with greater efficiency than an oven. If you’re looking for something at a lower budget, we’ve got recommendations for that, too.

A nice suit

Gift an Indochino Gift Card, from $50

Suits — especially the nicer ones — are a large yet ultimately useful expense for most masculine dressers, even if it’s only for special occasions rather than an everyday job. This is one gift your graduate will likely wear for years to come — and something they will likely need before they have the budget to afford it.

A gift card for ordering takeout

They may not have the energy to cook every night after work or classes. Get them a gift card for the impending evenings in which takeout feels essential.

A travel-friendly speaker for listening to music

Gift the Sonos Move, available at Amazon, $399

We think the Sonos Move is one of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy. It has excellent sound quality, a good battery life that can last up to 11 hours on the go, and convenient smart features such as connecting to smart assistants from Amazon and Google. It’ll be useful for travel or for listening to music at home.

A cute, compact memento of school

Gift the College Dish Towel, available at Uncommon Goods, from $14.99

If they’ve just graduated from college, send them into their next chapter with a memento of their alma mater. We love this dish towel because it still leaves the major decor decisions up to the graduate. Plus, they’ll use it frequently.

A facial cleansing brush that gets rid of grime gently

Gift the FOREO Luna 3, available at FOREO, $199

Foreo cleansing brushes are also one of the Insider Reviews All-Time Best products. The company claims it removes up to 99.5% of dirt and oil and gently buffs away dead skin cells, and both female and male reporters on our team loved the results. On top of being waterproof, rechargeable, and made from bacteria-resistant silicone, it leaves skin feeling clean and rejuvenated (like it’s just had a mini massage). 

Timeless advice on how to lead a compassionate life

Gift “This Is Water,” available at Amazon, $8.69

David Foster Wallace’s “This Is Water” is a 2005 commencement speech he gave graduates at Kenyon College. In it, he discusses life’s many inconveniences, challenges, and irritations — and how we might adopt a perspective that allows us to lead more compassionate, meaningful lives. 

A gift card to keep them active

Gift a ClassPass gift card, from $50

No matter what their work schedule looks like, it’s important that your graduate still gets healthy exercise. Lower the barrier to entry and gift them a ClassPass gift card. With it, they can try tons of boutique fitness classes in their area — or, if they need to unwind, meditation sessions or spa days.

An excellent, personalized coffee subscription

Gift the Trade Coffee Subscription, available at Trade, from $40

If they like a great cup of coffee, they’ll enjoy Trade. The coffee subscription service has a huge variety of coffee, and it’s easy to customize based on their tastes. We ranked it as the best coffee subscription service you can join.

If they’re a tea drinker, we’d also recommend checking out an Atlas Tea Club subscription.

Groceries delivered to their door

Starting a new chapter can be exhausting, and they may be pulling long hours studying or working. We recommend a gift card to Blue Apron (our top pick for meal kits) or Instacart (our top pick for online grocery services) to do their grocery shopping for them. Both will show up at their doorstep.

A smart reusable notebook

Gift the Rocketbook, available at Amazon, $28.97

If your graduate goes through notebook after notebook, this reusable option offers a long-lasting solution. They can use the included pen to take notes, scan each page with an accompanying app to save the pages digitally, and then wipe away the notes to use the same page over and over again.

A membership to a meditation app

Gift a membership to Headspace, available at Headspace, $69.99 per year

Give them the gift of a meditation app that can help give them the tools to destress, practice mindfulness (which has positive effects on personal happiness), and possibly improve their focus. 

A toolkit they will undoubtedly need in “real life”

Gift a 148-Piece Tool Kit, available at Amazon, $29.99

After graduation, the stress of a first apartment will include putting together furniture, Googling how to fix leaky faucets when your landlord avoids your calls, and enticing your friends to help you mount your living room TV with pizza. A toolbox may not be the most strictly “fun” gift, but it will absolutely be necessary — and they’ll appreciate it for years to come.

A gift card to decorate their home as they choose

Gift a Target gift card, from $5

Gift a The Container Store gift card, from $25

Pick up a gift card to a store with affordable home goods such as Target or the Container Store so your graduate can organize and decorate their new space with less stress.