Often determining monetary gift etiquette for college graduation depends upon who the graduate is as well as their achieved degree. First off, if the graduate is a close family member such as a niece or nephew, child, or grandchild, a monetary gift is definitely the correct etiquette. If a friend or co-workers mails or hands you a graduation announcement for their child, unless you are invited and plan to go to either to the graduation ceremony, party, or both, you aren’t obligated to send the grad money. On the other hand, no matter whom the graduate is, if you plan on attending the graduation ceremony or party afterwards, you should consider gifting to the grad.

The degree the grad achieves is also important. If they’ve completed their undergraduate degree and you attend a ceremony or party, a gift is a must. If the grad goes on to a higher degree and you are again invited, skip the monetary gift and just send a congrats card.
How Much Should You Give?

The question of how much you should give when considering monetary gift etiquette for college graduation is also important. If it’s a relative and you are an important part of their lives, a college degree was a huge effort on their part, so consider giving between $25 and $50 dollars.

If the graduate is the child of a friend or co-worker, again it may depend upon how close you are with that friend or co-worker. Even so, the children of friends or co-workers aren’t family so consider a monetary gift of $25 dollars or below.
Does It Have to Be Money?

It’s becoming more common these days for even grads to create wish lists at certain department and big box chain stores to let ceremony and partygoers know what the grad needs to begin a career. This can be especially important if the grad has accepted a job that means relocating.

Even if the graduate doesn’t create a wish list, you can always ask the parent(s) of the grad to find out what they need or desire. The amount you spend on a gift should be determined on how well you know the graduate and if you plan on attending the ceremony or party.
What About Thank Yous?

In the world of gift giving, a thank you card from the recipient is always recommended, especially when the recipient is not related to you. Nothing is more embarrassing to the parent(s) of a grad who is given money from friends or co-workers, and they receive no thanks.

Skip emails or attempting to send thank you cards on behalf of a graduate. The grad needs to hand write and mail the appropriate thank you cards themselves. It’s becoming more common, however, to use printed address labels, but the note inside should be hand-written.

If you don’t receive a thank you card, don’t make the parent(s) feel worse by letting them know. After all, you gave the gift to the grad so their inappropriate etiquette should not be blamed on the parent(s). It’s also a bad idea to confront the graduate if you don’t receive a thank you card. If you don’t receive thanks, just consider that you were nice enough to send a gift and leave it at that.
Summing Up Grad Gift Etiquette

Just because there is monetary gift etiquette for college graduation and the grads that achieve success, it doesn’t mean it’s always followed to the letter. Only give what you can afford; if the standard $25 is too high for your budget, consider a lower amount. Every dollar will be appreciated by the graduate and will be put to good use.