Graduating from college is an exciting milestone and while most think the best gifts for college grads is some form of cash, there are other thoughtful ways to celebrate this special milestone.
Think about the college grad you know and what their next steps might be. Whether heading into a new career, grad school, taking time off to travel, or coming home to work for a while, there’s a meaningful way to commemorate next steps that meets every budget.
Best Gifts for College Grads
This weekend my daughter will graduate from college and is heading to a brand-new city to start her career this summer. While we’ve given her the gift of an amazing education, we also want to give her something special that recognizes years of hard work as she looks ahead to this next chapter of her life.
My Best Gifts for College Grads was written with my daughter and her graduating friends in mind. Below you’ll find items we’ve thought of giving her, great ideas from fellow parents, and things I’ve heard college students saying they might need post-college. It includes things to outfit new apartments, explore their new city, ways to make commuting easier, helpful things to keep them organized and safe, and special items to celebrate their alumni status.
Gifts for College Grads that Celebrate Their Alumni Status
Custom Graduation Tote from Sea Bags (starting at $230)
I absolutely love Sea Bags because they’re handmade in Maine from locally sourced recycled sails. Since these durable bags last forever, you can’t go wrong with a custom tote featuring their graduation year. Choose from three different fonts, 12 colors and 3 placement choices for the bold 26 to create a personalized gift they’ll have forever. This sustainable gift is made in the USA and will hold up to their many adventures as they start their next chapter.
Kyle Cavan Jewelry (starting at $42.50)
One of the best gifts for college grads is a beautiful long-lasting piece of jewelry from their alma mater. Inspired by vintage coins and college traditions, Kyle Cavan jewelry is a beautiful choice Shop by school, Greek organizations, charms featuring architectural elements from their college or university, earrings, cufflinks, or a create a custom piece.
These are the Days of My Life Undated Planner from Brass Monkey ($24)
Now that they’re not tied to an academic calendar, the These are the Days of My Life Undated Planner is a thoughtful gift for grads. It’s part planner, part journal, part trivia master. With hourly planning, note grids, fixed holidays, celebrity birthdays, and quirky facts included, grads just write down the first day of their new life and start planning.
Tiny Hopes and Dreams Tiny Diary from Brass Monkey ($8)
A perfect budget friendly gift for new grads, the Tiny Hopes and Dreams Tiny Diary is just that. Measuring just 2.75” by 3.75”, this pint-sized journal has 112 gilded-edge pages for jotting down daily to-do lists and the other things adulting throws their way.
Other gifts ideas that celebrate their alumni status
- Diploma frame (can be ordered from the college bookstore)
- Alumni merch, including a license plate frame, mugs, insulated tumblers, and stickers
Gifts for College Grads that Help Them Explore Their New City
When you’re a just out of school 20-something year old, it’s so exciting to be in a new city but going out can get pricey. Help your recent grad get to know their surroundings with any of the following:
- Tickets to a sporting event
- Annual membership to a museum
- Subscription to a local theatre to see a series of productions
- Tickets to a concert venue
- Gift certificate to one of your favorite area restaurants
- Airline miles or a gift card to Amtrak to explore beyond their city or come home for a visit
New Apartment Gifts for College Grads
While some college grads may have moved out of dorms years before, there’s something different about that first apartment post-college. One of the best gifts for college grads who like to cook is the investment in kitchenware. Here are some of my favorite items that help celebrate this new phase of adulting.
Kitchen Spice Essentials from La Boîte ($96, regularly $108)
Help them level up their culinary game with La Boîte’s Kitchen Essentials Spice Set. This set of 12 single origin spices is perfect for making favorite family heirloom recipes or culinary adventures. Basil, granulated garlic, ginger, ground cumin, granulated onion, paprika, pepperoncini, rosemary, tellicherry black pepper, thyme, turmeric, and Vietnamese cinnamon are developed, manufactured, and packaged in-house for quality and consistency.
Fritaire Air Fryer ($199)
Out of the air fryers I’ve looked at, the Fritaire Air Fryer makes my list of best gifts for college grads because it’s Teflon-free, self-cleaning, and comes with a glass bowl and stainless-steel accessories for no chemical coatings on any food. It’s a head turning functional and versatile appliance that is designed to make healthy cooking easier and fun.
9-in-1 Air Fryer has 6 one-touch functions make it easy to make fries, meat, fish, chicken, toast, or dehydrate food. The glass bowl makes it easy to see everything inside as it cooks and the included air stand elevates food for even air flow while the tumbling basket rotates for even crispness. Every Fritaire also includes a rotisserie for roasting a whole chicken and grabber to safely lift the hot rotisserie or tumbler. It’s perfect for cooking weeknight dinners, lighter versions of family favorites, or getting creative with leftovers. Plus it comes in an array of fun colors to make a statement in any new grad’s kitchen.
Lucas 18-piece Stainless Steel Cutlery Set from Kenmore Elite ($44.99 on Amazon)
The Kenmore Elite Lucas 18-piece Stainless Steel Cutlery Set is a perfect set for a first apartment. Made from high carbon stainless steel, this set ensures exceptional sharpness for cutting-edge results. Each piece offers a balanced, ergonomic grip to allow control when dicing, mincing, or slicing. It comes with a classic and sturdy knife block for safe storage on a kitchen countertop when not in use.
Aquasana Clean Water Machine ($199)
Loved ones who care about the quality of water their grad will be drinking in their new city should consider the gift of an Aquasana Clean Water Machine. This compact countertop water filter is engineered to filter out 78 contaminants, including lead and PFAS, and doesn’t require installation. It just takes a push of a button and 8 seconds to get an 8 ounce glass of clean, filtered water. Each filter lasts up to 7.5X longer than leading pitcher filters, replacing more than 2,200 single-use plastic bottles while retaining beneficial minerals like calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
Cumulus Cold Coffee Machine ($695)
Cold brew lovers will love the gift of Cumulus! Developed by a former Starbucks executive, this a cutting-edge machine brings the café experience into the kitchen to help your recent grad save money on their coffee habit. It incorporates patent-pending technology to pull nitrogen from the air, fueling the effervescent nitro cold brew. Whether your grad wants nitro cold brew, cold brew, or cold espresso, all they have to do is press a button to have their drink emerge from the machine pre-chilled and ready to drink.
Other gift ideas for their new apartment:
- Gift certificate to a local framing store have favorite artwork matted and framed
- Handmade gifts for their new apartment such as a pottery, quilts, knit blankets, etc.
Gifts for College Grads that Keep Them Safe
Just because they survived college doesn’t mean we still don’t worry about them! Practical gifts that keep them safe let them know we love and care about them.
Kini SafeAlert Tamper Alert (currently $60 on Amazon w coupon, normally $75)
When I was in graduate school in Boston, we lived above our landlords in a multi-family home. There was a back staircase that connected our apartment with theirs and many times I’d come home and hear the adjoining door shut as I came into our apartment that reeked of our landlord’s cologne. To say that it was a little unnerving was an understatement! We moved as soon as our lease was up and I wish the Kini SafeAlert Tamper Alert existed then.
Kini works to provide peace of mind by alerting you when something does or does not move. This compact gadget lets you know if your bedroom door opens when you’re out of the house, if your snacks are moved in the shared pantry, or if your laundry was taken out of the dryer prematurely without cameras. If anything moves, you get an instant alert via the Kini app (free for iOS or Android) or a text or email.
I love that there’s no installation needed and setup takes seconds. It works with a hotspot to keep your passport and other items safe when you’re traveling. Since it works with no camera or GPS, Kini is also both non-trackable and non-hackable! You can also set up Kini to remind you if something doesn’t move as you adjust to 40-hour work weeks – like your running shoes if you skipped the gym, the dog food if you forgot to refill the bowl, or the medicine cabinet if you can’t remember if you took medications or not!
Aster ($9.99 monthly or $99.99 annually)
Aster is a 24/7 monitoring app paired with a small button that turns your smartphone into the ultimate personal safety device. If someone feels they’re in an unsafe situation, they can use the app or press the Aster Button 3 times, and emergency services will be alerted and dispatched to your phone’s location via GPS. Unlike other safety apps, Aster integrates with your mobile calendar, so you can schedule alerts to loved ones to check in on you after an event to make sure you are safe.
Aster makes my list of best gifts for college grads because it provides a little more peace of mind and safety as they enter the next chapter of their lives. The Aster button is included free of charge with any Aster subscription. Aster is also a great gift for your favorite girlfriends or any woman in your life.
Other gift ideas to keep them safe:
- AAA Membership to keep them safe on the roads
- Uber or Lyft gift cards for a safe ride home
Gifts for College Grads that Make Commuting Easier
Urban Ex 20L or 30L Pack from Chrome Industries ($150 for the 20L, $165 for the 30L)
Help them retire their college backpack in favor of the Urban Ex Pack from Chrome Industries. Available in 20 liter or 30 liter sizes, the Urban Ex Pack makes any new commute easier with its welded waterproof construction, padded ergonomic shoulder straps and a built-in laptop sleeve that accommodates a 15” laptop. The magnetic top close and rolltop keeps items secure and the external size zip pocket keeps essentials close at hand. Outer loops are perfect for holding a U-shaped bike lock or attaching other gear. The generous 20L or 30L capacity makes the Urban Ex Packwell suited for work and adventures beyond the workday and week. Plus, the lifetime warranty ensures that this gift is one they’ll have forever.
Freedom Women Flip Top Mug from Stanley 1913 x Nest Collection ($35)
The limited-edition Stanley 1913 x Nest Collection features designs by four women artists from around the world, transforming their work into everyday essentials grads will actually use. Each piece tells a story of global craftsmanship and creativity, making it more than just a tumbler—it’s a reminder of connection and impact. The 16-ounce Transit Flip Top Mug features AeroLight technology that makes it 33% lighter than standard stainless steel. Featherweight spun-steel insulation keeps your grad’s drink at the right temperature for hours. The matching silicone at the lid tab and footpad makes opening, closing, and setting it down quieter in coworking spaces or at home. For grads that like handled tumblers, another great gift idea from the Stanley 1913 x Nest Collection is the ProTour Flip Straw Tumbler ($45).
No compensation was received for this post. Samples were received for testing purposes as always, the opinions are my own and based on things that I know my grad and her friends are wishing for and likely to use.
