College Life
55 Amazing Graduation Cap Ideas for 2025 Grads
After four years of hard work in high school, college, or maybe grad school, these are our top 55 graduation cap ideas you must see in 2025.
This post probably contains affiliate links. Our full disclosure is long, but you can find it here.
This is it. After four years of work at high school, college, or grad school, you’ve finally made it through and made it to graduation. But now that you’ve made it to graduation, it’s up to the final challenge: how to decorate graduation cap
There are so many different ways to customize your graduation cap. Whether it comes to painting, collaging, stacking items, or even taking a cheeky way out with a few penciled words. And there are so many different places to take inspiration from.
Pinterest especially has a wealth of ideas! Social media has provided so many ways to show off any kind of artwork, and it’s easy to get jealous when looking at all of the cool caps people come up with.
Overall, graduation caps are a fun little way to express yourself after however many years of studying, all-nighters, and harsh reviews from teachers and peers.
Whether you’re flaunting your major, making a reference to your favorite movie, or honoring a loved one, look no further for inspiration than these graduation cap ideas!
Maybe you really like Disney. Disney and Pixar movies are endless sources of jokes and inspiration, the characters near and dear.
Whether you really loved the movies of the Disney Renaissance, you think The Sword in the Stone was heavily underrated, or the original characters of Mickey and Goofy will always have a special place, there are plenty of ideas to find!
Maybe you want to really feel like a princess for a day. And why not? You worked hard enough! Time to kick back with your own version of a crown!
Or maybe being a princess isn’t your style. You’d prefer to be the one setting up the princesses— and superheroes—for their success. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be successful, too!
You’re finding your new groove. Why not show it off?
Or after four years of dealing with some annoying humans, lazy classmates, and rude professors, you want to see some animals instead!
Whether cute and cuddly or conniving and clever, these characters had an important role in growing up. You’re the king now!
After years of hard work, you’ve probably learned to roll with the punches– and the tides. Maybe a friend of yours really helped you when the surf got rough!
Or maybe the Disney Channel was more your jam! We all grew up with the actors of these shows, so why not?
Or Disney at all might not be for you. Maybe superheroes are more of your interest. Whether you prefer to be a moghul like Stark or a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, you’ll outshine the rest!
Or Spongebob is more your style! You’ve spent so long in school, you might feel like Squidward at this point: surrounded by morons. The narrator voice speaking over every mistake made in Spongebob might have been a constant source of nostalgic giggling. Why not immortalize it?
After so long in school, you might be in rough shape. But you have to grab your degree with pride! Firmly grasp it!
Video games too could be the perfect reference. After all, you did just level up in a major way. From 8-bit to PC, Mario games to Overwatch and Call of Duty, there’s an endless library of references to consult. Even if everybody doesn’t get it at first, you’ll always have those games to come back to relax with!
Don’t be afraid! The real monsters, like approaching deadlines and all nighters, are gone. Or at least, the ones that have to do with cramming three month’s worth of material back into your head in two hours.
Now that you’re a little older though, you might want a different type of reference. Where better to look than Parks and Recreation or The Office? Just because these series, and your school career, has finished, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a brand new adventure ahead! Go ahead, make some jokes that would make Leslie Knope or Michael Scott proud.
Or maybe you had more fun with the side characters. Their exhaustion with their bosses’ antics never got old, even as they said they were. Channel your inner Stanley with this one!
Maybe you had more fun with the classic duo of Jim and Dwight. Their antics can translate pretty well to graduation cap jokes. If The Office has taught us anything, it’s that you can work hard and play hard at the same time!
Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica. And your new bachelor’s degree!
Maybe you were more of a Leslie Knope type of person, trying to pep up and support everyone around you. In college and graduate school, that’s no small feat. You kept everyone going and yourself, and you should show off your spunk! Like Leslie, you’re not going to stop for just anyone, but you’re willing to help everyone.
Or you made quite a few FRIENDS that you don’t want to let go! 90s Jennifer Aniston had some of the best looks.
Maybe these weren’t the shows for you, but you still want to do some kind of pop culture reference. Luckily there’s still evenmore to draw from! Whether you were a Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, PBS Kids, or Disney kid, there’s plenty of shows and movies that got you through hard times.
You might have gone a little looney with all the caffeine needed to finish last minute papers. But you still made it through!
Or you want to pay homage to a classic. You’ll look so fetch with this cap topper, courtesy of Zazzle! Check out their website for more cool cap toppers for if you’re too busy to customize your own!
Or maybe you liked the idea of being a princess… but being a queen is even better. Represent the true queen of Genovia, Julie Andrews, and make her proud! As someone who grew up on The Princess Diaries and Mary Poppins, I would love to reference this queen.
Your grad cap might not be the bejeweled silver diadem of your dreams. But you don’t need it to show off just how royal you are!
Getting out of school is a real opportunity to grow your wings. It’s a transformative period! You’re probably hungry for success, and it’s good to keep that hunger.
When you look back on your past, you really have to appreciate the masterpieces you’ve made. And learn from any “happy little accidents” you’ve made too! Both are necessary to learn and improve.
Of course, pop culture references aren’t for everyone. It might be better to just go with some good old fashioned jokes. Anything to lighten the somber and serious mood of leaving behind friends and beloved teachers. A clever joke is always the best!
Sometimes you don’t even need too many words to express how tired you are. Can we skip to the part where you have a job and cozy apartment?
Go ahead and be a little cheeky. You’ve earned it, and you’ll be reminded of it every time you have to make a student loan payment!
Maybe you want to remind everyone of just how powerful you are. And exactly who made you so powerful! My mom didn’t raise a quitter. Neither did yours.
Using props on your hat might offset the balance, but with just the right placement, you can make an awesome gag that everyone can relate to. I definitely lost some desperately needed hours!
Or maybe you’ve got some lighter things to attach to your cap. You can express how #done you are with just a little more ecological flair!
This next one you can also find on Zazzle!
Or you like to pull out the dad puns and make everyone groan. Who can blame you? You might feel like you’ve aged ten years in the time you’ve been in school.
Maybe you wanted to incorporated some sports puns too. I never was one for sports, but I can appreciate a bad pun!
A bright cap like this is sure to draw attention. And then as soon as they see the pun, they’ll groan.
We all have our vices. Whatever we need to get through, we can indulge in! (Safely and legally of course).
You can even get this dad-worthy dog pun premade on Etsy!
Or maybe it’s more fun to pay tribute to those furry friends who didn’t care about how you looked or how many pages of reading you got done. Your dog or cat will always be there for you. Why not thank them for it?
And maybe buy some extra treats as thanks– since they probably aren’t allowed to the graduation ceremony. They don’t really understand it, but you did everything for them!
I know he is. I know he definitely is.
Sometimes, our dream job has to be our second. Just because of reality.
Or maybe there’s someone more important to you that you should pay tribute to. Family and friends are really what keep us going during school. The late night calls, the goofing off during Family Weekend and homecoming, and care packages are all very important.
You’ve made some really great memories with those who got you through, and their support should be appreciated. Especially those who may not be with us anymore.
There’s a lot of work and sacrifices that went into the past few years. But that’s life!
You ought to be proud of yourself. You’ve worked very hard, and you can finally take a bit of a load off.
You might still be in a little shock. But you still did it!
It might not feel real yet. Despite how worried you may feel about getting back into the real world….
And you might not even understand how you got here. I know I was a little shocked!
And sometimes you might wonder how you handled things under pressure…
You’ll be okay. Just because you’re you!
You might not see all of how you succeeded in school. But that’s okay.
There’s much more to do. A whole world of opportunities!
You faced so many challenges. And kept going.
You weren’t made to sit in the shadows. You were made to change the world.
Defy everyone who said you weren’t ready. Or that you couldn’t do it.
It’s onto a new chapter! Whether that’s a new school or getting out into the workforce…
You’ve got plenty more to show the world. And you don’t need that school anymore.
You’re on your way. Both up and out, you’re heading in new directions.
Good luck out there! You’ve got this.
That’s a wrap. This post was all about graduation cap ideas. Though graduation might look a bit different this year, decorating your graduation cap could add more excitement and memories to the occasion!
Let us know how you decorated your cap by tagging @blendtw in your Instagram post! Also, share this article on social media if you found it helpful.
Other College Posts You May Like
