Graduation Banner Ideas for Grads, Families and Whole Classes

One graduate or the whole class?

A graduate banner is about one person. It carries a photo, a name, the class year and a message from the family. Our graduation banners come wide, with a photo in a ring or a photo on the left, and upright, in a tall style for a door or a wall.

A class banner is about everyone. The Class of 2027 banners have no photo. They print the class in large letters with a line for the school and a line of congratulations, in four styles: varsity, starburst, script and a big cap drawing. You can also list up to 16 graduates by name, which suits a club, a band section, a small school or a group of friends.

Many families do both. A class banner goes to the school fence or a group party, if the school allows it, and a graduate banner goes home to the porch.

What to write on a graduation banner

Most graduation banners are built from the same few pieces. Give the name and the class year the largest letters. For this year's seniors, write Class of 2027.

A short message beats a long one. Guests at the door and cars at the curb read a banner in seconds. If you have more to say, put it on a card and keep the banner for the big idea. Every optional line can be switched off, and the preview shows exactly what will print.

• The message: Congratulations, Hats off, or We are so proud of you
• The name: first name and last initial, or the full name
• The class year: Class of 2027
• The school, if you want it, on one small line
• A family line: Love, Mom and Dad, or a few words about what comes next

Photo tips for graduate banners

Choose a photo where the face fills a good part of the frame. A cap and gown picture is the classic. A senior portrait, or a relaxed shot from a game or a trip, can look more like the graduate. Light and sharpness matter more than the outfit, so skip dark or distant group shots.

A phone photo is fine to start with (JPG, PNG or WEBP). The site finds the faces and frames them in your browser. Drag the picture into place and zoom in; the face holds its position as you zoom. A note tells you how sharp the print will be before you order. When you upload, a box asks you to confirm that you took the photo or may print it. Studio and school portraits usually need the photographer's print release, so check your paperwork first.

The party, the car parade and the porch

For a party, hang the banner where guests walk in and where cameras will point: over the food table, on the garage door, or on the back fence behind the graduate. A 6 x 3 ft or 8 x 3 ft banner reads well across a yard.

A car parade is different, because the audience is moving. Use big words, only a few of them, and hang the banner at the curb or on the front fence. The sign trade's rule of thumb is about 1 inch of letter height for every 10 feet, so a car passing 30 feet away needs letters near 3 inches tall. The preview shows the letter sizes on the banner.

For the porch, an upright banner beside the door frames the front step, and a 6 x 2 ft banner fits across a porch rail. Take the graduate's photo in front of it. Our guide on how to hang a banner covers zip ties, rope and hooks. A 6 x 3 ft banner weighs about 1.6 lb, and an 8 x 4 ft banner about 2.9 lb.

Graduation banner sizes and ordering

Wide photo and class banners come in 4 x 2, 6 x 2, 6 x 3, 8 x 3 and 8 x 4 ft. The upright graduate style comes in 2 x 4 and 3 x 6 ft. Prices are in the table on this page, and shipping is $9.99, free on orders of $99 or more. See our banner sizes guide for more help choosing.

If a club or a group of families wants the same banner, 5 or more copies of that same banner save 10%, and 10 or more save 15%. Banners with different names or photos are priced one by one. Our Design it for me service adds $35: upload your files and notes, and we email a mockup within 1 business day, with 2 rounds of changes.