What Is a Good Graduation Gift Amount?

If you have a loved one that is going to graduate, you may be wondering how much money you should give as a present. It is not as simple as a set amount for every person. Quite a few factors can determine how much money to give someone for their graduation gift.

Family Members

If you are giving money to a graduate, for example your child or grandchild, you should give him or her the same amount that you gave your other children or grandchildren. If you give one person more than the other, it may seem as though you are playing favorites and it could cause problems.

Graduation Party

If you are giving a graduation gift to someone who is having a party, you should give the person enough to cover your meal plus a little extra. You can determine approximately how much to give by determining how upscale or casual the location is. For example, if you are going to a party where the meal price is $75, you may want to give $125 to $150.

After Graduation Plans

You could consider giving a loved one a graduation gift according to his plans after graduation. If he is immediately getting his own apartment, going away to college or planning to travel, you may want to give him a little extra money to help get settled, such as $200 for the graduation gift plus an additional $100 for after graduation plans.

Closeness of Relationship

When giving a graduation gift, factor in how close your relationship is with this person. If you are extremely close, you may want to give a little more money than if she were just an everyday friend. You may want to give a friend between $50 to $100, but give someone you are extremely close with $125 and up.

How Much the Person Gave You

Some may decide to give the graduate the same amount that that person gave them on their graduation.