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It is graduation season across the country. A time when we turn the page to the next chapter of life for the tens of thousands of grads.
With graduation on our minds, we are ranking the greatest graduation speeches of all time, the commencement speeches that were so powerful, hilarious, and moving that they changed the lives of those in attendance. From Steve Jobs to Will Ferrell, Jim Carrey to Chadwick Boseman, these are the best graduation speeches in existence today.
Ranking The 23 Best Graduation Speeches Of All-Time
Of course, this list could change in an instant. There very well might be an industry-changing graduation speech coming up this weekend. If so, I’ll update this list accordingly to include any new contenders because at the title says, these are truly the best graduation speeches of all time.
1. Steve Jobs: Stanford University, 2005
Steve Jobs’ 2005 commencement speech at Stanford is, by an order of magnitude, the most popular graduation speech from a celebrity that is on YouTube. It has over 48 million views and counting.
What seems to have resonated the most about Steve’s speech with the millions of watchers is his humility, vulnerability, and confrontation of mortality, something that would impact him dearly in a few short years after this speech.
2. Conan O’Brien: Harvard University, 2000
This video of Conan O’Brien’s Harvard University commencement speech from The Year Two Thousaaaaaand looks like it is about a thousand years old. It is wild to see how far technology has come in the past 26 years.
Conan himself went to Harvard (class of ’85) and what resonates the most about his graduation speech is ‘the power of disappointment’ he had endured, how embracing delusion is always an option in life, and the presence of vulnerability in success and how that conflicts with public criticism in many ways.
3. Jim Carrey: Maharishi University of Management, 2014
Jim Carrey‘s 2014 commencement speech at the Maharishi University of Management (Maharaishi International University) in Iowa is considered one of the all-time greats because he masterfully balanced humor and wisdom through. Carrey told personal stories about his father, early work life, and pushed the message “you can fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.”
4. Mark Rober: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2023
In true Mark Rober fashion, he incorporated a custom-build into his 2023 MIT commencement speech and wowed the crowd by making his hat fly. His primary message was to embrace ‘naive optimism’ in life, something we all can and should do more of. A former NASA engineer, Rober has a unique take in post-grad life in the engineering field as he has since become of the largest creators on YouTube.
5. Chadwick Boseman: Howard University, 2018
The late, great Chadwick Boseman was a member of the ’00 class at Howard University and came back in 2018 to advise Howard U. grads on seeking ‘purpose’ over a job, and in purpose they would find their calling. He also talked about being fired from a role and how that changed the trajectory of his career.
6. Taylor Swift: New York University, 2022
Taylor Swift was the 2022 graduation speaker for NYU was a shining example of her writing skills. It is equal parts clever and funny, endearing and relatable. One of the main takeaways from Taylor Swift‘s graduation speech is validating your life experiences and the power that ‘life hacks’ can have on all of us.
7. Tom Hanks: Harvard University, 2023
Tom Hanks was the featured graduation speaker at Harard’s 2023 commencement where he laid waste to alternative truths, misinformation, and fake experts in the modern era. In true Hanks fashion, he blended humor with sincerity in a way that resonated with everyone in the audience. He kicks it all off by joking about how he lacks any connection whatsoever to Harvard but played a character who did (thanks to Dan Brown).
8. Roger Federer: Dartmouth College, 2024
Roger Federer absolutely crushed his commencement speech at the 2024 Dartmouth College graduation where his overarching theme was something everyone needs to hear: there is no such thing as ‘effortless.’ That ‘effortless is a myth.’
9. Eric Church: University of North Carolina, 2026
Eric Church, an App State alum, went viral this week for his commencement speech at the University of North Carolina. It was a great speech! He told UNC grades that, at Carolina, they will always have a place they belong.
“Come back, walk through the Quad on a fall day or sit on Franklin Street on a game day, and remember: These are my people, because you are a Tar Heel. Carry this community with you as you plant your roots.”
10. Norm MacDonald: ‘Commencement Speech’ 2014
In true Norm MacDonald fashion, he released an anti-commencement speech in 2014 with FunnyOrDie. It was everything that we all loved about Norm: dry, hilarious, and with a deadpan sincerity that was both cutting and endearing.
11. Adam Sandler: New York University, 2022
The Sandman gave the 2022 Tisch School commencement speech at NYU and absolutely slayed it, because of course he did. Adam Sandler has always had a gift for blending comedy with sincerity and that came through perfectly in his 2022 graduation speech.
12. Will Ferrell: University of Southern California, 2017
Another one of the funniest men of all time… Will Ferrell’s 2017 commencement speech at at USC balanced comedy with reflection and wisdom. He talked about bombing in comedy, reinventing himself as a comedian, and growth through failure.
13. Stephen Colbert: Knox College, 2006
Back in 2006, Stephen Colbert was still going strong with The Colbert Report and in 2006 he gave the Knox College graduation speech in full character. A satire speech from start to finish that offered insight into a post-9/11 America that only Stephen Colbert could put words to.
14. Denzel Washington: University of Pennsylvania, 2011
Denzel Washington gave the 2011 commencement speech at the University of Pennsylvania and borrowed the phrase ‘failing forward’ while discussing his faith, failure, and success. This one is a must-watch.
15. Kermit the Frog: University of Maryland, 2025
The only Muppet on this list, Kermit the Frog gave the 2025 commencement speech at the University of Maryland and crushed it. His ‘kermencement’ was full of heartfelt life advice and ‘rainbow connection.’ It was all brought together because Jim Henson, the Muppets creator, was a University of Maryland alum.
16. Arnold Schwarzenegger: University of Houston, 2017
Arnold Schwarzenegger always tells it like it is. That was true in his 2017 University of Houston commencement speech. He also gave a 2020 speech when the world was going through the pandemic but his 2017 Houston speech is the one he’s most famous for.
17. Tim Cook: Stanford University, 2019
Apple CEO Tim Cook gave the 2019 Stanford University commencement speech and spoke about the world’s growing distrust toward Silicon Valley, something even more prescient today. He discussed the value of privacy, ethics, and responsibility in tech. It was incredibly refreshing to one of the most powerful CEOs in the world speaking so candidly.
18. Ellen DeGeneres: Tulane University, 2009
Long before Ellen DeGeneres retired from her talk show there was a time when she was the biggest comedienne in the industry. She gave the post-Hurricane Katrina commencement speech at Tulane University in 2009 and crushed it with her message about rebuilding after hardship.
19. Barack Obama: Howard University, 2016
Presisdent Barack Obama gave the 2016 Howard University commencement speech just before the end of his second term and tore apart the ‘Us vs. Them’ politics he often faced, and challenged graduates to pursue social change without cynicism.
20. Kendrick Lamar: Compton College, 2024
This one seemed to pop up out of nowhere. Kendrick Lamar gave the 2024 commencement speech at Compton College, a community with the closest of ties to the Hip-Hop community, and he crushed it.
21. Patton Oswalt: College of William & Mary, 2023
Patton Oswalt brought his personal brand of witty/nerdy humor to the 2023 commencement speech at the College of William & Mary. He was a member of the William & Mary class of ’91 and this return home made for a special address.
22. Aaron Sorkin: Syracuse University, 2012
One of the best writers in Hollywood, Aaron Sorkin gave a masterful commencement speech in 2012 at Syracuse University. He encouraged graduates to value excellence and chase true storytelling, ambition, and creative confidence.
23. Adam Savage: Sarah Lawrence College, 2012
This one is a personal favorite of mine. Former MythBusters co-host Adam Savage gave the 2012 Sarah Lawrence College commencement speech and discussed what he knows best: figuring things out. He encouraged the grads to live a life of curiosity, something we should all aspire to.