India is one among the top countries in the world that witness the highest pool of MBA graduates. As per reports, over 200,000 students graduate with an MBA degree every year in India. Given the number, there are over 1,300 top B-schools offering MBA and PGDM courses. Among them are the 21 IIMs that offer around 5,500 seats every year. The ratio of MBA applications and the number of seats available makes it important for applicants to give sufficient time to know the top MBA colleges in India along with preparing for the entrance exams.
MBA full form is Master of Business Administration which is a broad term. It offers multiple specializations and the MBA jobs profile is diverse. As an applicant, it is important to know the specializations, entrance exams, subjects etc a candidate wishes to graduate in. As not every IIMs or other B-schools offer all the courses. This is another reason that makes finding the right MBA college in India a very important aspect. Without proper knowledge, a wrong decision can cost your career!
In this article we will provide you an in-depth analysis on the top MBA colleges including the specializations offered, fees, entrance exams, admission process, placements and significant others.
Top MBA Colleges in India – A Comparative Analysis (Ranking)
Based on the recent list released by the top MBA colleges ranking bodies, here is the list that you can refer to get a hold of the best MBA colleges in India:
Top 10 MBA Colleges in India 2026 – As per NIRF Ranking (Management)
| Institute | NIRF Ranking 2025 | NIRF Ranking 2024 |
| IIM Ahmedabad | 1 | 1 |
| IIM Bangalore | 2 | 2 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 3 | 3 |
| DMS IIT Delhi | 4 | 4 |
| IIM Lucknow | 5 | 7 |
| IIM Mumbai | 6 | 6 |
| IIM Calcutta | 7 | 5 |
| IIM Indore | 8 | 8 |
| MDI Gurgaon (Private) | 9 | 11 |
| XLRI Jamshedpur (Private) | 10 | 9 |
Other Top Government MBA Colleges in India (NIRF 2025 Management):
VGSoM IIT Kharagpur, DoMS IIT Madras, SoM IIT Bombay, IIM Raipur, IIM Thiruchirappalli, IIFT Delhi, IIM Ranchi, IIM Rohtak, IIM Udaipur, DoMS IIT Roorkee, IIM Kashipur, IIM Nagpur, DoMS IIT Kanpur, Jamia Millia Islamia New Delhi, IIM Visakhapatnam, IIM Bodhgaya, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Jammu, IIM Shillong, ISM Dhanbad, IIM Sirmaur, among others.
Other Top Private MBA Colleges in India (NIRF 2025 Management)
SIBM Pune, SPJIMR Mumbai, NMIMS Mumbai, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Coimbatore, IMT Ghaziabad, Chandigarh University, MICA Ahmedabad, UPES Dehradun, Great Lakes Chennai, TAPMI Mumbai, IMI Delhi, Jaipuria Noida, IMI Kolkata, GIM Goa, LPU Phagwara, XIM Bhubaneshwar, ICFAI Hyderabad, Thapar Institute, Amity University Noida, Great Lakes Gurgaon among others.
Top 5 MBA Colleges in India – QS MBA Rankings 2025
Here are the top MBA colleges in India based on the global rankings released by QS Rankings 2025:
| Institute | Ranking (India) | Global Rank |
| IIM Bangalore (IIMB) | 1 | 53 |
| IIM Ahmedabad (IIMA) | 2 | 60 |
| IIM Calcutta (IIMC) | 3 | 65 (11th in Asia) |
| ISB Hyderabad | 4 | 86 (Top 20 in Asia) |
| IIM Kozhikode (IIMK) | 5 | 160 |
Top 10 MBA Colleges in India as per Times B-School Rankings 2025
Here is the list of top b-schools as per the 13th edition of Times B-school rankings:
| Institute | Ranking 2025 | Ranking 2024 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 1 | 1 |
| SPJIMR Mumbai | 2 | 4 |
| SIBM Pune | 3 | 3 |
| IIM Shillong | 4 | – |
| IRMA Anand | 5 | 8 |
| LBSIM Delhi | 6 | 6 |
| IMT Ghaziabad | 7 | 5 |
| IIM Raipur | 8 | 9 |
| SRMIST (FoM) Chennai and SoM Woxsen University | 9 | – |
| ASoB, Alliance University | 10 | 11 |
How Top MBA Colleges in India are Ranked & Evaluated?
MBA colleges are ranked based on several key factors. It varies from one ranking body to another, but mostly the criteria revolves around MBA fees, placements, faculty, infrastructure, ROI etc.
In case of NIRF, the key evaluating parameters for management institutes are as follows:
| Parameters | Sub-Criteria |
| Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR) – 0.30 Weightage | Student Strength: 20 marks. |
| Faculty-student ratio: 30 marks | |
| Faculty with PhD and Experience: 20 marks | |
| Financial Resources and their Utilisation: 30 marks | |
| Research and Professional Practice (RP) – 0.30 Weightage | Publications: 40 marks |
| Quality of Publications: 40 marks | |
| Projects, Professional Practice and Executive Development Programs: 20 marks | |
| Graduation Outcomes (GO) – 0.20 Weightage | Placement and Higher Studies: 40 marks |
| University Examinations: 20 marks | |
| Median Salary: 40 marks | |
| Outreach and Inclusivity (OI) – 0.10 Weightage | Regional Diversity: 30 marks |
| Gender Diversity: 30 marks | |
| Economically and Socially Challenged Students: 20 marks | |
| Facilities for Disabled: 20 marks | |
| Perception (PR) – 0.10 Weightage | Employers and Academic Peer |
List of Top MBA Colleges in India – Courses, Seats and Region-wise
Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) are famous among MBA candidates as the top MBA colleges in India. Among them, IIM BLACKI (IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Lucknow, IIM Calcutta, IIM Kozhikode and IIM Indore) are considered the best among the 22 IIMs. IIM Guwahati was added to the list in 2025. Here is the list of the top IIMs along with other top MBA colleges that are highly preferred by MBA aspirants:
MBA Courses Offered in IIMs
| IIMs | MBA Courses |
| IIM Ahmedabad | PGP, PGP-FABM, ePGD-ABA |
| IIM Bangalore | PGP, PGPEM, PGPBA |
| IIM Calcutta | MBA |
| IIM Lucknow | MBA, MBA-ABM, MBA-SM, PGPWE |
| IIM Kozhikode | PGP, PGP-BL, PGP-F, PGP-LSM, EPGP-IL, EPGP Kochi |
| IIM Indore | PGP, PGP-HRM, MSDSM |
| IIM Udaipur | MBA, MBA-DEM, MBA-GSCM, Executive MBA |
| IIM Trichy | PGPM (MBA), PGPM-HR (MBA-HR), PGPBM |
| IIM Ranchi | MBA, MBA-HRM, MBA-BA |
| IIM Shillong | PGP, PGPEX, PGPx |
| IIM Rohtak | PGP, EPGDSM, PGPx |
| IIM Bodhgaya | MBA, MBA-DBM, MBA-HHM |
| IIM Kashipur | MBA, MBA Analytics, EMBA, EMBAA |
| IIM Amritsar | MBA, MBA-BA, MBA-HRM, EMBA |
| IIM Visakhapatnam | PGP, EMBA, PGPMCI |
| IIM Raipur | MBA |
| IIM Nagpur | MBA, EMBA |
| IIM Jammu | MBA, MBA-HAHM, Executive MBA |
| IIM Sambalpur | MBA, Executive MBA, MBA for Working Professionals |
| IIM Sirmaur | MBA, MBA-TM, MBA-TTH, Ex MBA, MBA-DTA, MBA-FB |
| IIM Mumbai | MBA, MBA – OSCM, MBA-SM |
MBA Seats in IIMs
| IIMs | MBA Seats |
| IIM Ahmedabad | ~385 |
| IIM Bangalore | ~430 |
| IIM Calcutta | ~210 |
| IIM Lucknow | ~436 |
| IIM Kozhikode | ~375 |
| IIM Indore | ~451 |
| IIM Udaipur | ~260 |
| IIM Trichy | ~180 |
| IIM Ranchi | ~240 |
| IIM Shillong | ~120 |
| IIM Rohtak | ~240 |
| IIM Bodhgaya | ~120 |
| IIM Kashipur | ~210 |
| IIM Amritsar | ~60 |
| IIM Visakhapatnam | ~60 |
| IIM Raipur | ~210 |
| IIM Nagpur | ~130 |
| IIM Jammu | ~140 |
| IIM Sambalpur | ~120 |
| IIM Sirmaur | ~180 |
| IIM Mumbai | ~550 |
Top Non-IIM MBA Colleges in India – Region-Wise
| Region | MBA Colleges |
| Delhi/NCR | FMS New Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, IIFTDoMS IIT Delhi, IMT Ghaziabad, Great Lakes Gurgaon, IMI Delhi, LBSIM Delhi, BIMTECH Greater Noida, FORE School of Management New Delhi, GNIOT Noida, Manav Rachna International University, Bennett University, IILM University |
| Kolkata | IIFT, EIILM, Bengal Institute of Business Studies (BIBS), Praxis Business School, IMI Kolkata, MDI Murshidabad |
| Bangalore | Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research, GIBS, SIBM, IBA, International, ISME, Alliance University, Christ University, ISBR Business School, XIME, AIMS School of Business |
| Hyderabad | IFMR Graduate School of Business, SSIM, IBS, ISB, Institute of Management Technology |
| Mumbai | ITM Navi Mumbai, SPJIMR, SDA Bocconi Asia Center, Welingkar Mumbai, K J Somaiya Institute of Management Mumbai, SJMSOM IIT Mumbai, JBIMS, Prin L N Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research |
| Other Regions | BITS Pilani, BIM Tiruchirappalli, GIM Goa, TAPMI Manipal, Great Lakes Chennai, Xavier University Bhubaneswar, MICA Ahmedabad |
Top B-Schools in India: MBA Fees and Salary
Provided below is the fees and salary details of all the IIMs and top 10 non-IIMs in India:
IIM Fees and MBA Salary
All the IIMs offer a 2-year MBA/PGP programme along with other specializations that vary across all the IIMs. The MBA fees at these IIMs usually range from Rs 17,00,000 to Rs 27,00,000.
The fees for MBA programme at IIM ABC, the top three IIMs – IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore and IIM Calcutta, is around Rs 26,00,000-27,00,000. The MBA salary package is also high for these three IIMs with graduates landing on package above Rs 33-34 LPA.
Other older IIMs such as IIM Lucknow, IIM Indore, and IIM Kozhikode charge slightly lower fees around Rs 20,00,000 – 23,00,000. The average salary packages in the old IIMs range from Rs 29 LPA to Rs 31 LPA.
Meanwhile, the newer and baby IIMs like IIM Rohtak, IIM Ranchi, and IIM Raipur offer MBA programs with lower fees, typically between Rs 17 – 19 lakh and average MBA salary falls within the range of Rs 18 – 21 LPA.
Even though the brand value and alumni network of the baby IIMs are at a developing stage compared to the older IIMs, they have shown improved placement records and industry tie-ups over the years.
Non-IIM MBAs Fees and Salary
Among the non-IIMs, leading the list is FMS Delhi, known for its exceptional ROI with MBA fees between Rs 1,92,000 to 3,00,000 and average salaries exceeding Rs 34 LPA. Others that qualify among the top MBA colleges in India such as XLRI Jamshedpur, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, and IIFT Delhi offer fees between Rs 20,00,000 – Rs 30,00,000. The MBA salary ranges from Rs 25 LPA to Rs 33 LPA.
Among the IITs, DMS IIT Delhi provides a balance of affordability and strong placement outcomes, with an average package of Rs 23 – 25 LPA. The total MBA fees is about Rs 11,00,000.
Other reputed names such as SIBM Pune, NMIMS Mumbai, IMI Delhi, and Great Lakes Gurgaon offer average MBA salary ranges between Rs 15 LPA to Rs 28 LPA, depending on the specialization and batch.
MBA Entrance Exams & Admission Process
Admission in management programmes at the top MBA colleges in India is based on entrance exams. Common Admission Test (CAT), Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT), Common Management Admission Test (CMAT), NMAT by GMAC, Management Aptitude Test (MAT) and Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) are the top MBA entrance exams. It is important to note that not every institute accepts all the entrance exams. For admission in IIMs, only CAT is accepted. Apart from CAT, the MBA entrance exams mentioned above are accepted by many leading non-IIM MBA colleges.
The admission process for the top MBA colleges in India is majorly similar. Here is the generalised MBA admission process:
- Candidates must ensure they meet the eligibility criteria before applying.
- Next, they need to apply, appear and qualify the respective entrance exam.
- They need to ensure that they meet the MBA cutoffs of the respective institute they applied for.
- Based on whether the admission process is centralised or independent, qualifying candidates need to register for counselling.
- Next, they need to qualify for the subsequent stages, if any, like group discussions and personal interviews before the final list is out.
- Once the final list is out, shortlisted candidates can visit the respective MBA institute, pay the admission fees and get their documents verified.
Top MBA Colleges in India – Specializations & Jobs
An MBA candidate can choose from a wide range of specialisations. Some of the popular MBA specializations include Finance, Marketing, Human Resource Management (HRM), Operations Management, and Information Technology Management (IT/Systems). Among the emerging and sector-specific specializations, the most sought after by management aspirants are Business Analytics, Data Science, Digital Marketing, Supply Chain & Logistics, International Business, and Entrepreneurship.
These specialisations help shape MBA graduates for high-demand MBA jobs. For example, a Finance MBA might lead to roles like Financial Analyst or Investment Banker; Marketing leads to Brand Manager or Digital Marketing Lead; Analytics specialization helps prepare candidates for Data Scientist or Business Intelligence Roles. In terms of job prospects and salary ranges, for instance, specialization in Business Analytics or Technology can offer salary packages starting in the range of Rs 15 – 40 LPA. In the case of traditional streams such as HR or Operations, fresh‐graduate can earn around Rs 6 – 12 LPA at the beginning.
Some of the top recruiters for these MBA job roles include:
- Finance: Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan.
- Analytics: Google, Microsoft, Flipkart
- Marketing: HUL, P&G, Amazon.
How to Choose the Right MBA College?
Among the top MBA colleges in India mentioned above, which college suits you the best? Even though the priorities vary from candidates to candidates, choosing the right MBA college involves considering several key factors:
- Cost: Take a note of your budget range and explore colleges offering good ROI.
- Return on Investment (ROI): A high ROI means when a college’s fees spent are justified by the salary and career opportunities available after graduating.
- Location: Since MBA jobs are more inclined towards corporate setup, consider colleges in cities with a thriving business environment, like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore.
- Specialization: Choose a college that offers the specialization you’re most interested in.
- Alumni Network: A strong alumni network can help you with mentorship and job opportunities.
Top MBA Colleges in India with Low Fees
Here are the 10 MBA colleges in India with low fees that are known for delivering good ROI:
| College | Fees |
| FMS Delhi | Rs 1,92,000 – Rs 3,00,000 |
| TISS Mumbai | Rs 1,20,000 – Rs 2,50,000 |
| DFS Delhi | Rs 52,000 – Rs 70,000 |
| JBIMS Mumbai | Rs 6,00,000 – Rs 6,50,000 |
| PUMBA Pune | Rs 1,30,000 – Rs 1,60,000 |
| UBS Chandigarh | ~Rs 90,000 |
| IBM Jadavpur | Rs 3,10,000 |
| PIBM Pune | Rs 4,50,000 – Rs 8,75,000 |
| RSB Chennai | Rs 8,80,000 |
| AIMT Greater Noida | Rs 6,30,000 |
Conclusion
IIMs take up the top positions among the top MBA colleges in India. However, the limited seats and high competition makes it hard for MBA aspirants to secure a seat in IIM. Instead of skipping a year, candidates can explore other top MBA colleges other than IIMs that are known for providing good placements as well as offering a wide range of MBA subjects to choose from.
In terms of cost, the top MBA colleges in India like IIMs and ISB offer excellent career opportunities, but they come with higher fees. On the other hand, colleges like FMS and XLRI offer great ROI at more affordable prices. Regardless of your choice, it’s crucial to match your career goals with the strengths of the institution. Do thorough research, take time to prepare for entrance exams, and choose a college that aligns with your career plans.
FAQs
What is the full form of MBA?
MBA full form is Master of Business Administration. It is a postgraduate course in the management stream.
Which are the top MBA colleges in India?
The top MBA colleges in India include IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, IIM Kozhikode, and IIM Indore among the IIMs, and FMS Delhi, XLRI Jamshedpur, SPJIMR Mumbai, and MDI Gurgaon among the non-IIMs.
What are the top MBA specializations?
Some of the popular MBA subjects include Finance, Marketing, HR and Operations. Among the trending specializations are Business Analytics, Data Science, Digital Marketing, Supply Chain & Logistics, International Business, and Entrepreneurship.
How much do MBA graduates earn in India?
On average, MBA salary in India falls between the range Rs 10-30 LPA, depending on the college placement and industry.
Which MBA entrance exam is the most competitive?
Among the MBA entrance exams, the CAT exam is widely regarded as the most competitive MBA entrance exam in India followed by XAT, GMAT, MAT and CMAT.
What is the average MBA fees in India?
MBA fees in India can range from as low as Rs 1,50,000 for some government colleges to Rs 40,00,000 for top private MBA colleges like ISB Hyderabad.
Can I get into top MBA colleges in India without work experience?
Most top colleges prefer candidates with work experience, but some, like IIMs, also admit fresh graduates.
What are the top MBA courses?
IIMs offers several MBA courses and some of them are PGP, PGP-FABM, ePGD-ABA, PGPEM, PGPBA, PGPM (MBA), PGPM-HR (MBA-HR), PGPBM, MBA-HRM, MBA-BA, PGPEX, PGPx, Executive MBA, MBA for Working Professionals, etc.
