Salutatorian Speech Examples (and How to Write Your Own)

A salutatorian speech is the address given by the second-ranked graduate, and it traditionally opens the ceremony - welcoming the audience, setting the tone, and leading into the rest of the program. Where the valedictorian usually closes things out, the salutatorian's job is to greet everyone warmly and get the day started on the right note.

If you've just been named salutatorian, congratulations. This guide walks through what the speech is, how it differs from the valedictorian's, what to include, and three short original example excerpts in different tones you can borrow ideas from. At the end, there's a simple way to rehearse it out loud before you step up to the podium.

What Is a Salutatorian Speech?

The salutatorian is the graduate with the second-highest academic ranking in the class. The word itself comes from the Latin for "to greet," which tells you almost everything about the speech's purpose. Historically, the salutatorian delivers the opening remarks of a graduation or commencement ceremony.

That means your speech usually does a few things:

• Welcomes everyone - graduates, families, teachers, and guests
• Acknowledges the significance of the day
• Sets an emotional tone for the ceremony that follows
• Leads gracefully into the rest of the program

Because it comes first, the salutatorian speech is often a little shorter and a little lighter than the valedictorian's. You're opening the door, not delivering the final word.

How the Salutatorian Speech Differs From the Valedictorian Speech

The two speeches are easy to confuse, but they play different roles in the ceremony.

The salutatorian speech opens. It greets and welcomes. The tone is warm, inviting, and forward-leaning - you're inviting the audience into the celebration.

The valedictorian speech closes. It tends to be the bigger, more reflective "send-off" address, ending the ceremony and challenging classmates as they head into the future.

In practice, that affects what you say. As salutatorian, you don't need to summarize the entire high school experience or land the single most quotable line of the day - that's often the valedictorian's territory. Your strength is the welcome: thanking people for being there, naming the moment, and building momentum. If you're also reading the valedictorian speech guide or the broader graduation speech guide, you'll notice the structures overlap, but the salutatorian leans harder on greeting and gratitude.

How to Write a Salutatorian Speech: Structure and What to Include

A clean salutatorian speech has five parts. You don't need anything fancier than this.

1. The Welcome (about 30 seconds)

Open by genuinely greeting the audience. Name the groups in the room - fellow graduates, parents and families, teachers, staff, administrators, and guests. This is the one part of the speech that is uniquely yours as salutatorian, so make it warm.

2. A Hook or Shared Memory (30–60 seconds)

Right after the welcome, grab attention with something the class shares: a funny moment, a hard year you all got through, a question, or a short story. Avoid the dictionary-definition opener - it's the most overused move in graduation history.

3. Reflection on the Journey (1–2 minutes)

Briefly look back on where the class started and how far it has come. Use "we," not "I." You're speaking for the class, not about yourself. A few specific, shared details beat a long list of generic milestones.

4. Gratitude (1 minute)

Thank the people who made the day possible - teachers, families, mentors, coaches. Specific thanks land harder than blanket ones. If a teacher changed how your class saw a subject, say so.

5. A Forward-Looking Close (30–60 seconds)

Because you're opening the ceremony, hand things off gracefully. End on a hopeful note and, if it fits, lead into what comes next in the program. A short, clear final line is far more memorable than a big dramatic flourish.

Salutatorian Speech Examples (3 Tones)

Below are three short, original excerpts written as samples. They aren't from any real speaker - use them as starting points and rewrite them in your own voice.

Example 1: Heartfelt

"Good evening, everyone - graduates, parents, teachers, and everyone who showed up tonight to cheer us on. On behalf of our class, thank you for being here.

I keep thinking about the version of us that walked in four years ago. We were nervous, a little lost, and pretty sure we'd never find our way around this building. And look at us now. We found our way around a lot more than the hallways.

To the people in these seats who drove us to practices, quizzed us at the kitchen table, and believed in us on the days we didn't believe in ourselves: this moment is yours too."

107 words, about 50 seconds at 130 words per minute. An opening excerpt: a full speech adds a reflection, thanks and a hand-off.

Example 2: Funny

"Welcome, families, friends, teachers, and the brave souls who agreed to sit through this in folding chairs. I promise to keep my part short, because I know the real event tonight is finding out whether the gym air conditioning works.

When they told me the salutatorian gives the opening speech, I learned two things. One: I had to look up what salutatorian actually meant. Two: it means I'm basically the opening act - so please hold your applause until the headliner.

But seriously, we made it. We survived group projects where one person did everything, cafeteria food we'll somehow miss, and at least three different versions of the daily schedule. That's got to count for something."

115 words, about 55 seconds at 130 words per minute. An opening excerpt: a full speech adds a reflection, thanks and a hand-off.

Example 3: Reflective

"To our families, our teachers, and the friends and neighbors who came out tonight - welcome, and thank you. It means more than you know that you're here.

Standing here at the start of the ceremony, I keep coming back to a simple idea: we didn't get here alone. Every name on this stage tonight is attached to a hundred quieter names that never get called - the people who packed lunches, stayed up late, and asked how the test went.

So before we talk about where we're going, I think it's worth pausing on how we got here. We got here together. And whatever comes next, that's the part I hope we carry with us."

114 words, about 55 seconds at 130 words per minute. An opening excerpt: a full speech adds a reflection, thanks and a hand-off.

Example 4: A complete short salutatorian speech (2 minutes)

This one is a full speech, not an excerpt: welcome, a shared memory, reflection, thanks and a hand-off.

"Good morning, graduates, families, teachers, staff and guests. On behalf of the Class of [year], welcome, and thank you for being here.

My name is [name], and I have the honor of opening today's ceremony. I'll keep it brief, because the best part of today isn't this speech. It's the moment each of us walks across this stage.

Four years ago, most of us didn't know each other's names. Today, I could tell you who always had a spare pencil, who started every group chat, and who never once returned a library book on time. You know who you are.

We learned a lot in these halls, and not all of it was on the test. We learned to start over after a bad grade. We learned to show up for each other at games, at concerts, and on hard days that nobody else saw. We learned that asking for help is not the same as failing.

None of us did that alone. To our teachers: thank you for your patience, and for the extra time you gave when you didn't have it to give. To our families: thank you for the rides, the meals and the faith. Today belongs to you, too.

Graduates, look around for a second. These are the people who shared the last four years with you. Wherever we go next, we take a piece of this place with us.

So let's begin. Welcome to the graduation of the Class of [year]."

246 words, about 1 minute 55 seconds at 130 words per minute. Replace [year] and [name], and swap in details only your class would recognize.

Delivery Tips

A strong speech can still fall flat if the delivery rushes or wanders. A few basics go a long way.

• Keep it short. Aim for about 3 to 5 minutes. As the opener, shorter is almost always better: roughly 400 to 650 words at a steady pace, and a complete 2-minute version like Example 4 works too. Paste your draft into the speech length calculator to check.
• Slow down. Nerves make everyone speed up. A comfortable speaking pace is around 130 words per minute; on stage, most people drift faster without noticing.
• Use eye contact. Pick a few friendly faces in different parts of the audience and speak to them, not to your notes.
• Pause on purpose. Let your welcome breathe. A short silence after a line lands feels confident, not awkward.
• Bring brief notes. Memorize your opening and closing lines; use a small card for the middle as backup.

Rehearsing Your Speech With Mic Buddy

The single best thing you can do before graduation is practice the speech out loud - and ideally hear yourself back. Reading it silently doesn't reveal that you're rushing the welcome or saying "um" between every thank-you. Recording yourself does.

That's exactly what Mic Buddy is built for. It's a speaking practice app for iPhone and iPad, made by NGSMedia LLC, that you can use to rehearse before the big day. It's free to download. Using it takes a subscription: a yearly, monthly or weekly plan. You record yourself delivering the speech, and it gives you feedback on three things that matter a lot for a graduation address:

• Filler words - so you can catch the "ums," "likes," and "you knows" before the ceremony
• Speaking pace - measured in words per minute, so you know if you're racing
• Clarity - so your welcome and your thank-yous actually land

Every take is analyzed on your iPhone, so your practice stays private, and you can run it as many times as you need to time yourself and tighten the speech. You can find Mic Buddy on the App Store (an Android version is coming soon). Run through your speech a few times, watch your pace settle, and you'll walk up to the podium knowing it's ready.

Final Thoughts

Your salutatorian speech has one main job: open the ceremony with warmth and welcome everyone into the celebration. Keep it genuine, keep it short, thank the people who got you all here, and hand the moment off with hope. Borrow ideas from the examples above, write it in your own voice, rehearse it out loud, and you'll be ready to greet your class on one of the most memorable days of their lives.