For over a decade, they've been preparing for this moment: their high school graduation. Between late night studying for exams, cheering in the football stands and dolling up for their prom — they've done it all. Now, it's time for the class of 2026 to take their final bows before entering their next stage in life.
Whether they're headed off to college, trade school or taking a gap year to travel the world, they've got a wide future ahead of them — and a whole lot of growing to do.
But let me not get ahead of myself. Graduation is truly a momentous occasion and a huge accomplishment to celebrate! Show your grads how proud you are with the perfect gift, from dorm essentials for the incoming college student to personalized picks they'll cherish for a lifetime. We've curated a list of the best gifts to give your high school graduate to send them well wishes as they close this chapter.
High school graduation gifts for her
College dorms are not always the most spacious for their much-loved dresses and garments, so these space-saving hangers will definitely come in handy.
This nostalgic gift is one your grad can look back on one day. They can leave themselves a personalized message to read years down the road.
Help them feel (and look) their absolute best before they step onto campus thanks to this compact lit makeup mirror. With three adjustable dimming options, they can get ready while their roommate snoozes without disturbing them.
With more than two hours of use on a single charge, according to the brand, even the most forgetful of young adults will remember to always charge this new addition to their getting ready routine.
Whether they’re a novice in the kitchen or are simply facing time constraints with new responsibilities and priorities, this cookbook from chef David Chang and food journalist Priya Krishna is filled with plenty of quick meal inspiration.
Chances are, they’re going to want to rearrange their dorm room after a couple of weeks, and a tool bag full of the necessities can help them do just that.
They’re going to need a sturdy, ergonomic-friendly laptop stand when they’re typing up term papers and theses.
This daily planner is perfect to help them keep classes, assignments, extracurriculars and work organized. It says it’s undated, but the brand describes it as “un-yeared” because the month, day and holidays come pre-filled, so they can use it any year.
Whether they’re waking up early to jet across campus for morning classes or staying up all night to study, they’re going to need caffeine to power them through.
Chamberlain Coffee (whose founder your teen may recognize) offers a variety of matcha and coffee, as well as drinkware and accessories to help them not only get their caffeine fix, but take it on-the-go as well.
Help them establish a new chapter with a new fragrance! Josie Maran recently launched hair and body mists, and this tangerine option is perfect for summer. It’s the perfect balance of citrusy, sweet and woody. If citrus isn’t their thing, there are three other fragrances to choose from: Golden Hour (amber, white musk, santal), Bohemian Fig (vetiver, vanilla orchid, bergamot) or Vanilla Vibezzz (vanilla bean, juniper berries, cedarwood).
Make laundry a little easier with this bestselling personalized bag. Designed for easy trips to the laundry room, this unique Etsy graduation gift can be personalized with different colors, patterns and embroidery options.
If they already know where they’re going to school, get them in the spirit with a Little Words Project friendship bracelet. Can’t find your school? An on-trend custom bracelet will fit the bill.
Decorated with nods to their new school, Catstudio also has a cities collection with zippered pouches that can help them reminisce about their hometown.
Created to be both spacious and fashionable, this backpack was made to hold all of her belongings — including her laptop! One Shop TODAY writer said it was the perfect companion for her 15-hour flight to Japan.
This Shop TODAY editor-approved gift combines the comfort of a blanket with the style of a hoodie — so your graduate remains comfy no matter where they are!
When she graduated high school, associate editor Allie Wise was gifted a pair of beautiful pearl earrings by her parents. “I remember opening it up and being so excited that I finally had a nice designer pair of earrings to wear,” she says.
Any time is a good time for a cupcake, but we bet any high schooler will appreciate a dozen classic sweet treats from Georgetown Cupcake to celebrate this milestone.
This travel organizer features a bottom compartment for jewelry and a top compartment for cosmetics. For the element of surprise, add a touch of personality with a monogram.
She’s about to spend the next 4 years looking at screens, so help her protect her eyes with these fashionable and functional blue light glasses! “I didn’t start wearing blue light glasses until after college and, as a daily contacts wearer, I didn’t realize how much of a difference they’d make,” says associate editor Kamari Stewart-Jackson. “I love this pair from The Framery because they’re cute and add a little flair to your look while still being functional. Plus, as someone who looks at screens all day, I try not to go a day without them!”
Overnight trips and long weekends just got easier thanks to everything they’ll be able to pack in this duffel. Made out of polyester, this weekender bag will prove to be durable and spacious enough for trips back home or while traveling to visit friends.
Oh, the places she’ll go! Prep her for any upcoming travels with this roomy carry-on luggage with 360-degree rolling wheels, a cushioned grip and an expansive interior.
High school graduation gifts for him
Tests may have been a constant struggle during high school, but at least they can laugh about it now. They’ll find this book comical now that they don’t have the pressures of high school exams, finals and AP tests.
If he’s moving into a dorm with a shared bathroom, he’ll definitely need a durable and waterproof shower caddy to help carry his toiletries.
These packing cubes would make a great gift for the frequent traveler. They’re also a favorite of Stewart’s who loved how much she was able to fit in them for a two-week trek through Europe.
Put his school smarts to the test with this game full of random facts and trivia about subjects they probably didn’t learn in class.
Every college student looks forward to setting up LED lights in their room. Gift them a set that will last long beyond their college years with this option from Roku.
Now is the perfect time to surprise your graduate with a personalized wallet to keep their belongings in.
Going to college can be an overwhelming experience, and if your recent grad is anything like me, that might mean losing track of your items a little more often than you'd like to admit. Fortunately, the new and improved Apple AirTags can help them track their bag, wallet, keychain and more to ease off a little bit of those first-day jitters.
From pliers to a bottle opener, this compact and miniature 12-in-1 tool set will help them in a pinch. Made out of stainless steel and weighing in at less than three ounces, this lightweight and durable tool can fit in any desk drawer, pocket or backpack compartment.
When I graduated from high school, my parents gifted me this digital camera to celebrate. I loved getting to take photos to capture memories of my last summer before college, and even got to bring the camera to school, taking tons of photos of all of the fun Freshman year memories I can look back on in th future.
If the grad is a huge baseball fan, they’ll love this interactive MLB map. They can add a corresponding MLB Club sticker for each ballpark they’ve visited.
A handy place to keep all of their belongings, this dock station features a charging station for phones, and side hangers for watches, keys and more. To make it more personalized, you can choose to have the recipient’s name or initials engraved.
Even if they have a sweet speaker system in their bedroom, they’ll need a quality one for their dorm room. They can control aspects of their space with this pod — that can add items to a grocery list, turn lights on and off or even serve as a Bluetooth speaker.
Young men like a bit of jewelry, too! Especially when it’s understated and easy to wear like this sterling silver box chain bracelet. "My husband is a big fan of the David Yurman necklace my mom got him for Christmas a few years ago and wishes he'd gotten it sooner in life because it's a staple piece," says Stewart-Jackson.
Unique high school graduation gifts
Former SEO intern Dominique Tolliver was gifted this pen after graduating at the start of the pandemic. “A family friend gifted this to my sister and I when we graduated from college and high school, respectively, and I’ve used it ever since,” she shares. “Not only does it write smoothly, but it’s also metal, so it survives many drops. I love to use it when I’m goal-setting and planning for the future.”
If there’s one thing we know about dorm rooms, it’s that they’re often cramped and lack storage. This thoughtful space-saver can fit on their door to provide a little extra space to keep them organized.
Morning classes are a bit more manageable with a cup of coffee in their hand. This leakproof option also keeps their beverages warm for up to six hours, according to the brand.
Making new friends in college can be intimidating. Make it a little easier for them with these card game that’s filled with 90 conversation starter questions.
While it may seem like a bit of a splurge, especially for a water bottle, thanks to the Affinity Filtration Technology included on the interior, ordinary tap water will be filtered with each and every sip. “The filter is super easy to use and the result is great tasting water,’’ said one reviewer.
They’ll likely want to spend every moment of their summer with friends before going their separate ways to college. This portable Spikeball set will encourage them to get outside and play together instead of staring at screens all day.
A splurge-worthy dorm room accessory, they can send photos from their phone straight to this digital photo frame, and it will display an unlimited number of pictures at any given time.
They might not be able to fit a TV into their new dorm, but this projector will definitely get the job done. "I just know (in my heart) that the kids want projectors," says editor Vivien Moon. "It’ll be a nice college gift or something to spruce up their room."
This MacBook is ideal for tackling everyday tasks, from editing photos and spreadsheets to using AI and summarizing class notes. This laptop features a dazzling liquid screen display and an impressive 16 hours of battery life, according to the brand.
How we chose
The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources and use our own personal experiences with the product and brand to make shopping easier for our readers.
Be sure to check out Shop TODAY’s other gift guides to find the perfect gift for every graduate on your list including pre-school, kindergarten, 5th grade, middle school and college.
