The Perfect List of 20 College Graduation Gifts for Him

May 10, 2021

Graduating from college is an important accomplishment for many people. And if there's a guy in your life who graduated recently, he deserves to get a great gift after putting in so much hard work.

We have a great selection of grad gifts in this list of graduation gift ideas just for you. You can find plenty of other options on websites like Amazon too, and just use this list for inspiration. Either way, you'll definitely end up with a good idea of what you might want to get the new graduate in your life. 

And the best part is that any college graduate is definitely going to appreciate your gift, no matter what you end up getting him. We have a great gift guide below that can be personalized and that’s useful for the real world, and plenty of unique gifts you can choose from.

1. A Personalized Mug for Your College Graduate

If the college grad in your life loves his beverage... whether it's coffee, beer, wine or plain water, then getting him his own personalized solid wood mug made out of a baseball bat! That way no matter where he moves to or who he lives with, everyone will know which mug belongs to him. And we're sure he'll appreciate the added personalized touch. Additionally, there are plenty of things you can etch on his custom dugout mug to make it a better gift. You can go with a funny quote, his graduation year, a cool photo, or even the logo of his favorite sports team.

And if you are expected to get your college grad the perfect graduation gift, which means you're under a lot of pressure, worry not -- this personalized mug by Dugout Mugs will do the trick ;-) 

2. A Box of Premium Meats for the Hungry College Grad>

If the new college grad loves to eat (warning: definitely not for vegan/vegetarian)... It doesn't matter if you're his best friend or not-- he'll certainly appreciate a thoughtful gift, especially if you get him something that will make him fill him up with your TLC and premium cuts of meat, fresh seafood and tasty desserts!

3. A Fitness Tracker for the Sporty College Graduate

There are so many great fitness trackers on the market these days, and practically any one of them is going to be a perfect gift if the college grad in your life is into staying active. And even if he plans to exercise routinely, plenty of times life can get in the way of that. Thankfully there’s a great piece of technology that helps people incorporate some exercise into their daily activities. This fitness tracker is a good example of such technology.

This product is a great gift if he also likes keeping track of his exercise routine and staying on track with his goals. If nothing else, then getting him a fitness tracker is going to motivate him to get up and exercise even a little bit every day.

4. A Bluetooth Speaker for Your Grad

Listening to music on a pair of headphones is great for when you’re outside, but indoors it’s not that special. That’s why the college grad in your life will be grateful if you get him a Bluetooth speaker like this JBL device. He can listen to music all he wants, and this is a gift that’s really useful for any small gatherings in his new home or dorm room.

If you’d like to splurge a bit more, you can also get him a smart speaker that has a lot of additional features. These types of speakers can be used to learn about the latest game score, the weather forecast, add more things to a grocery list, and even make calls.

5. A Set Of Stainless Steel Bar Tools

Getting the recent college grad in your life a set of bar tools is a great gift if he enjoys making cocktails and learning more about them. There are hundreds of different drink recipes made to fit anyone’s taste, so getting him a set of bar tools can put him closer on the road to learning every one of them.

This gift is also a great way for him to learn a new party trick for any future gatherings that occur once it’s safe to hold them again. Until then he has enough time to learn a few recipes. And if you pair the set of tools up with a cocktail recipe book, he’s going to appreciate the gift even more.

6. Home Decor Such as Wall Art

For the grad in your life who’s moving out of his childhood home, a bit of home decor is certainly going to be a cherished gift. There are plenty of ways you can go about getting him a home decor gift. 

You can choose a cool scratch-off poster with a map of the world, where he can scratch off the various countries on the map as he visits them. Or you can get him a houseplant that will make his new space a bit more refreshing. And if he doesn’t really have a green thumb, you can always get him some fake plants to create the same mood for his room.

7. Every Grad Needs a Bottle Opener

Since college grads are often preparing to live in a new place, they often need a lot of new things, and a cool bottle opener is just one of them. The list of essentials for his new home is going to be quite long, but you can always help him out by getting him a useful present for the kitchen. As long as he’s of legal drinking age, you can give him this gift that he’ll actually use.

Of course, you can always go with a classic bottle opener, but you can also turn the gift into a bit of a joke, by getting him a fun novelty bottle opener.

8. Digital Camera With Printer for Keepsakes

One of the best ways that you can remember a great moment is by capturing it in a photo. But if the college grad in your life is someone who already has thousands of photos in his camera roll that he rarely goes through, it might be time to get him a digital polaroid camera. That way not only will he take better photos, but he can also look through them as he develops them.

To make the gift even better you can also get him a handheld photo printer or even a camera that prints its photos instantly like a polaroid. That way he’ll have those cherished moments in his hands just a few minutes after capturing them on film.

9. The Classic College Graduation Gifts - Accessories

Bracelets, necklaces, and rings can go a long way as a present for any person. And they can become even more meaningful if they have charms or an engraving added to them. However if the grad in your life doesn’t like wearing a lot of jewelry, don’t worry because there are still some accessories he’ll appreciate.

You can always get him a pair of cufflinks with a matching tie clip that he can wear on special occasions. And if he doesn’t dress up in suits too often, you can always go for a cool keychain.

10. A Cool Wallet With a Card Holder

One of the classic college graduation gifts that you can get for any guy is a simple leather wallet. Now wallets come in different shapes and sizes, so it’s up to his style and preference to determine whether to get him a bifold or a trifold wallet, for instance. Or he might actually prefer foregoing the conventional wallet and opting for a card holder instead.

And if he really likes card holder wallets but also worries about their security, you can get him a high-tech RFID card holder that will protect his belongings a lot better.

11. A Gift Set of Apparel for The New Graduate

A piece of clothing is always going to be a gift that any college grad will appreciate. This gift means he won’t have to go out of his way to find something that he likes and fits him. And the gift is made even better when it’s something that he really enjoys wearing. Whether it’s a t-shirt or hat is up to you.

And if he’s someone who prefers more casual clothes, we’d recommend getting him a classy and comfortable set of loungewear. Or you can go with a fashionable NBA hoodie so he can feel comfy while he’s at home but look good enough to step outside at a moment’s notice too.

12. A Useful and Unique Gift - Cookbook

Since the college grad in your life will likely be moving away, he'll need to learn how to make a meal or two himself. So you can always get him a high-quality cookbook that will help him learn some cooking basics. And then maybe he'll cook up a nice dinner for the two of you.

But in case he's already familiar with plenty of cooking recipes, you can always get him a more specialized cookbook instead. With that type of cookbook, he'll be able to learn culinary skills and test out some brand new recipes that he's likely never tried before.

13. A Magnetic Board - The Gift To Help Him Stay Organized

If the college grad in your life is going to be moving out of his home for the first time, he’s going to be doing a lot more things on his own. If you’d like to make the transition to becoming more independent easier for him, then you can get him a magnetic board like this one. 

That way, he’ll be able to keep his schedule in a visible place. Not only that but having a magnetic board means that he’ll also be able to use it to display some of his favorite photos or other keepsakes.

14. The Top Graduation Gift Ideas Always Includes a Phone Charger

Plenty of young people understand the importance of having a sturdy and high-quality phone charger nearby. With phone batteries constantly running low, even portable chargers can do the trick. During a time when everyone has to stay connected, the best way to remain so is with a fully charged phone.

Or you can get the college grad in your life an extra-long cable for his phone charger. That way he doesn't have to sit in awkward positions while he's on his phone waiting for the battery to charge. Or you can get him a sleek wireless charger that he can use on his desk or nightstand.

15. The Best College Graduation Gifts are Gift Cards

College graduates these days have an array of interests, which means it's not always easy to pinpoint what they might want as a present. Fortunately, plenty of shops offer gift cards, and he'll certainly appreciate a gift card from Banana Republic, for instance.

That way he can buy whatever he wants, and you'll save yourself the headache of thinking about what he’d like best. It’s one of the best college graduation gifts that you can get any college grad in your life.

16. Gift Guide Perfection - A Gift Box

We already mentioned subscription boxes, but sportsbox gift boxes are slightly different. Although they're still thematic and filled with things he'll like and enjoy, they don't come every month. But in any case, if you're looking for the perfect college graduation gift, he will greatly appreciate a giftbox of useful.

For instance, you can go with a gift box filled with stationery and organizational items that will help him in the next chapter of his life. Or you can go with a classier option: a box filled with a wallet, a tie, and a fancy pen. No matter what you decide to give him, he’s going to appreciate the gesture and love that you know his interests.

17. A Coffee Maker for His New Apartment

This is another graduation gift that's perfect for the coffee-lover college grad. One of the best things about mornings is a fresh cup of hot coffee, and with a Ninja coffee maker, he'll get to have a cup every morning. Not only will he have an easier time waking up in the morning, but he’ll also be completely awake a lot faster.

There are different types of coffee makers-- from instant ones to others that make coffee from freshly ground beans. And the choice largely depends on how much he really loves drinking high-quality coffee. But either way, this is a great option for him.

18. Wireless Headphones For a Great Listening Experience

We already mentioned the benefits of Bluetooth and smart speakers, but listening to music through quality headphones is a completely different experience. And with everyone being stuck indoors, having a good pair of headphones means that he won't have to get distracted by any background noise from his roommates.

You can get him a pair of over-ear headphones that look very cool, or you can go with a more portable, wireless set from Macy’s. The choice largely depends on the types of headphones that he prefers wearing, or what you think will best fit his new living situation. But at the end of the day no matter what type of headphones you choose, he’s going to love using them.

19. The Graduation Gift for Him Who's Always On The Go -  A Backpack

Backpacks make for a very useful long-term gift, and they're the perfect gift for someone that's constantly on the go, such as a recent college grad. Getting him the right backpack can be a world-changing experience, especially if he's been using the same one since high school.

There are plenty of backpacks that are designed for the great outdoors. But these days we also have more utilitarian options-- for guys that have to commute frequently, as an example. These days backpacks are the bag of choice for students as well as business people. So getting him a water-resistant, stylish backpack might be perfect.

20. College Students Essentials - Phone or Laptop Case

Finally, we have one of the most popular tech accessories in the last few years. Whether the case is for his phone or laptop is up to you. Or it’s up to the amount of damage each piece of tech can receive when it's inevitably dropped. Because it’s going to save their gear when they least expect it, this gift is the most useful gift for any college grads with the clumsy gene. 

Whatever you decide, he's going to appreciate you thinking of him and his accomplishments. And he’ll be grateful that someone else is trying to protect his essential pieces of technology. This is a good gift, considering the high prices that come with repairing a damaged phone or laptop. This way, instead of your college grad having to pay a large chunk of his budget for repairs, his phone or laptop won’t even get damaged.

 

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