Whether you are shopping for your son, your grandson, your son’s friends, or family friends, don’t automatically default to money as graduation gifts. We’ve curated 35 meaningful and practical graduation gifts for boys that your graduate is sure to treasure, or at least will certainly find useful! You can always tuck a little extra cash into the card as well if you are so inclined.
As a mom of 2 sons in college, my personal suggestion is to avoid gift cards as gifts, whether to stores, food outlets, coffee shops or just Visa gift cards. They’re terrible at keeping up with them and using them to their entirety. I’m sure there are some young men who manage them well, but I’d hate for good money to be wasted on lost or not fully used gift cards. (See our Instagram post for a good idea on how to corral the ones you may already have around the house).
For all things planning for graduation, graduation parties, graduation countdowns and more, join us in our High School Graduation Ideas Facebook group with a graduation focused community to gather more ideas, ask questions and learn! We monitor this group closely to prevent spammers & sellers and ensure a helpful and kind environment for all.
This list of high school graduation gifts for boys is organized into price ranges. The lower priced items would also make good gift ideas for your son’s friends. We also have a list of gift ideas for high school girls if you need those ideas too!
Visit our Amazon storefront where many of these items are in our Graduation Gift Ideas collection.
Jump to a price range or simply scroll the list.
1) Oh The Places You’ll Go Book – This very inexpensive gift can be made into a beautiful memory for the graduate. The book alone provides an “inspiring and timeless message encouraging readers to find the success that lies within, no matter what challenges they face. A perennial favorite and a perfect gift for anyone starting a new phase in their life!”. And you can make it even more special by writing a heartfelt message on the inside cover.
2) Toiletry Bag – A canvas, water-resistant bag for their shaving accessories and toiletries versus a plastic zip bag. A little taste of adulting.
3) College Gear – It goes without saying, but getting them outfitted with their college gear always makes a great gift. For under $25, you can find flags, hats, decals and more.
4) Monogrammed Towel Set – A monogrammed set of towels is personal and practical. I recommend these quick-dry towels. I see people in my local Facebook groups offering embroidery local to monogram/initial just the bath towels or perhaps a small monogram on each of the smaller towels too to help keep them identifiable. If monogramming isn’t really for him, you could always have phrases associated with the college he is attending. Ex: Go Dawgs!
5) 300-Piece Poker Set – Send them off with something they can socialize with! This set comes with cards, chips, dice and more for a little dorm gathering.
6) Collapsible Trunk Organizer – This is perfect for the car enthusiast who can’t imagine heading to college without his car. You can add to the caddy with helpful products such as Armor All Wipes, Sun Shield and Small First Aid Kit. An extra special gift for the car is a Portable Jump Start Charging Block and Air Compressor shown below.
7) Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker – A waterproof speaker is perfect for the active graduate. Additionally, he can take it to a field to play ultimate frisbee or to the shower to have some tunes while he practices good hygiene
8) RFID Super Slim Wallet – This is a great graduation gift for any young man. Moreover, it is RFID-protected against scammers, and it’s not the bulky leather wallet that his grandfather carried for years. A slim option but still easy access to his cash, ID, and his debit card. It also has a place for two IDs to be easily carried (his student ID and driver’s license). In addition to the wallet, you may want to place a dollar bill (or a few) into the wallet so the “wallet will never be without money.”
9) Adidas Shower Shoes – A more durable brand name step up from the thin thong flip flops, and a good likelihood he will wear them more than just to shower.
10) Saturdays are for the Boys Flag – A little simple decor or their new home away from home.
11) Tool Kit – Help him be prepared for any tasks that come up when he’s living away from home.
12) Owala Water Bottle – This Owala series has a variety of color combinations that give it a masculine look, and the wide mouth top makes it much easier to clean. BPA free and leakproof, It also fits easily in the side pocket of a backpack or perfect to throw into a workout bag.
13) Backpack Cooler – Great for college tailgating, you can even tuck additional gifts inside.
14) WOOZOO Personal Fan – This is a top 5 college must-have dorm essential. Additionally, these little fans don’t take up much space, but they create an amazing amount of airflow by oscillating in every direction (up, down, left, right, circular). These are only available from late winter to mid-summer.
15) Men’s Oxford Shoes – They may actually need something a little more dressy for those club or fraternity events. This pair comes in four different colors.
16) Custom Pet Pillow – A sweet reminder of their furry friend at home. Our link includes a 25% discount automatically applied in the cart. If you see a different offer pop up when you visit their website, just click out of that and continue.
17) Weekender Bag – This all-in-one bag fits folded clothes plus expands for hanging clothes like suits for that weekend formal. It also has a separate shoe compartment and trolley sleeve to go over their roller suitcase if flying.
18) College 3D Logo Wall Art – The perfect addition to their dorm room wall – this 12 x 12 ready to hang 3D sign is available for dozens of colleges.
19) Stainless Steel College Logo Tumbler – Perfect for gameday and everyday, this 18 oz double wall tumbler can be used for hot or cold.
20) Travel Backpack – For weekend trips or longer trips by airplane, this highly rated bag makes a great option. Comes in 3 sizes and several colors.
21) Flag of his University or favorite sports team – It is no secret that men are usually minimalist when it comes to decorating their dorm rooms. However, students will eagerly hang their school flag or favorite sports team flag on the wall.
22) WiFi Bluetooth HD Projector With Screen – These are popular with college students as a means to make new friends. Offer to host movie night on your hall or in your dorm common area with your very own, very affordable portable home theater setup.
23) Football Jersey – A staple that he can’t go to college without!
24) 4-Pack Apple AirTags – An incredibly helpful tracker for iPhone owners to help them keep up with important items. Put one in your wallet, in your backpack, in your car and on your ID/lanyard and be able to track them down with a quick look at your phone. Pair them with silicone holders to attach to their backpack or tuck inside their suitcase.
25) Rolling TV Stand With Shelf – Another great option for a dorm room or first apartment, this TV stand can be placed in any small corner of the room or bedroom and includes an adjustable shelf to hold a gaming device or a laptop or tablet connected to the TV.
26) Portable Jump Start Charging Block with Air Compressor – This amazing charging block will jump start even the biggest cars without needing another car to come to your rescue and also includes an air compressor to inflate flat tires. It comes with a carrying case that also includes jumper cables. The charging block can be used to charge a phone several times, as an emergency flare/hazard light or as a flashlight.
27) College Logo Polo Shirt – A staple for game day and beyond for him to look sharp! Select your school from the left menu to see the selection for his school.
28) Spikeball – A popular and portable game that makes a great gift and gives them all a reason to gather in the dorm hallway.
29) The North Face Backpacks – These are a very popular option for both guys and girls headed to college. The link will take you to a selection of men’s sizes. The North Face backpacks are sure to get them through all 4 years of college. As there are several models, please refer to this graphic to compare 3 of the most popular. A few of these are over $100.
30) Samsonite Hard-Side Luggage – Luggage can be an expected graduation gift item, but it doesn’t have to be ‘boomer looking’ – there are some great options in unique colors. This hard-side Samsonite luggage is popular with young adults. It is currently available in 3 sizes and 7 colors. It is best purchased at Kohl’s on sale and with a coupon, or a similar popular Samsonite luggage set can also be found at Macy’s in 3 sizes and 5 colors. For another highly-rated option in even more fun colors, check out these iFly Luggage Sets.
31) Apple AirPod Pros (2nd Gen) – This is the current generation of the noise-canceling AirPod headphones. If you walk around on a college campus, you’ll probably see every other student with at least AirPod in an ear. These are a great gift for any iPhone/iPad/Mac user – not just for music, students do a lot of show watching on their phones or other devices, and AirPods work with any of their devices including MacBook laptops.
32) Apple Smart Watch – Other than the obvious ‘smart’ features and seamless connectivity with the iPhone, one great thing about smart watches is that you can change the watch face at any time and switch out the bands inexpensively. This allows the smart watch to go from sporty on the basketball court to professional at a job interview.
33) DudeRobe – A premium but perfect invention for teen boys. It’s like a long hoodie on the outside, a towel on the inside, has a PERMANENT belt, a hood and fitted sleeves like a sweatshirt. Perfect for community or private bathrooms!
34) Apple iPad – An iPad can be a game changer for note taking. Used with one of the popular note-taking apps makes taking notes and keeping them organized easy. You can also add an Apple Pencil for those who like to take hand-written notes or need to draw as a part of their note-taking. iPads are also a preferred device for watching shows with their larger screens.
35) Dior Sauvage Cologne – A popular scent for college guys (both my boys love this one). Why not be sure he smells good!
Our high school, and I know many others, offer the opportunity to have friends and family send a letter to students via their school. Furthermore, the school collects the letters and presents each student with an envelope at some point toward the end of the school year. In our case, they are distributed at the graduation rehearsal.
But you don’t need a school prompt to write a letter.
I do this every year for family friends, my kids’ friends, and anyone I know well who is graduating high school.
I tell them what I love about them, what I think shines in them, and offer just a little life advice that I think is appropriate for their situations. It isn’t easy, and it takes time. Admittedly, I often shed a tear during the process as I think through memories and envision what these kids will become one day.
If you have special kids in your life, I encourage you to take the time to do this. You can include pictures if you have them, or just your gift of words.
If you’re helping a student with dorm shopping, please join us in our Dorm Shopping Recommendations & Deal Alerts Facebook group. Additionally, we’re sharing recommendations and posting alerts when the good stuff goes on sale!
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