NRF has been conducting its annual graduation spending survey since 2007 to see how Americans will celebrate high school and college graduates each spring.
Graduation 2020
Consumers to spend an average $112 on grad gifts
According to NRF's annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights and Analytics, 30% of respondents will buy a gift for a graduate in their life this year.
- Total spending is expected at $5.1 billion
- Cash is, once again, the top gift
Historical highlights
- 2018: Graduation spending to reach $5.2 billion
- 2017: Graduation spending to reach record-high $5.6B
- 2016: Americans to spend $5.4 billion on graduation gifts
- 2015: Graduates make room for electronics, cash after graduation
Results of NRF’s graduation spending survey are released each year in May.
More consumer trends
Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar on connecting with neighbors
Retail Gets Real episode 177: Sarah Friar, CEO of Nextdoor, discusses how businesses can tap into local communities.
Read more
How social values are impacting consumer behavior
Retail Gets Real episode 176: GfK's Rachel Bonsignore shares how customers respond to companies that take a stand.
Read more
The evolving conversation on consumer values
How social values are impacting consumer behavior amid a pandemic and movement for racial equity.
Read more
How Sam’s Club is accelerating innovation
Retail Gets Real episode 175: Moving quickly to meet members' changing needs during the pandemic.
Read more
Checking the consumer pulse during the pandemic
Retail Gets Real episode 174: IBM's Karl Haller on what to expect of consumers going forward.
Read more
May retail sales improve dramatically over April but still below last year
Retail sales rose dramatically in May as retailers began to reopen but remained well below last year's levels.
Read more