Best MBA Colleges in Kerala: Ranking, Fees, Admissions 2026, Courses, Placements
Best MBA Colleges in Kerala: Ranking, Fees, Admissions 2026, Courses, Placements
This list of 180+ MBA colleges in Kerala has 120+ private, 15+ government, and more than 2 public-private ownerships. Kochi has the largest number, followed by Thiruvananthapuram. While Kozhikode has one of the IIMs, among the top-ranking B-schools in India, there are many more across the state offering promising leadership education and executive career opportunities, at lesser tuition costs and good placements. Especially, Rajagiri Business School, Amrita School of Business, SCMS Cochin School of Business, and Saintgits Institute of Management are good examples of high-placement private MBA colleges in Kerala. If considering exams outside CAT, 130+ B-schools in Kerala accept KMAT. Most of them also accept valid scores from CMAT and XAT. These are the primary entrance exams for a majority of Kerala's management institutes. Know about fees, rankings, placements, and admissions for a
This list of 180+ MBA colleges in Kerala has 120+ private, 15+ government, and more than 2 public-private ownerships. Kochi has the largest number, followed by Thiruvananthapuram. While Kozhikode has one of the IIMs, among the top-ranking B-schools in India, there are many more across the state offering promising leadership education and executive career opportunities, at lesser tuition costs and good placements. Especially, Rajagiri Business School, Amrita School of Business, SCMS Cochin School of Business, and Saintgits Institute of Management are good examples of high-placement private MBA colleges in Kerala. If considering exams outside CAT, 130+ B-schools in Kerala accept KMAT. Most of them also accept valid scores from CMAT and XAT. These are the primary entrance exams for a majority of Kerala's management institutes. Know about fees, rankings, placements, and admissions for all below.
- Best MBA Colleges in Kerala: Highlights 2026
- Top MBA Colleges in Kerala with NIRF Ranking 2025
- Eligibility for Admissions at Best MBA Colleges in Kerala in 2026
- Entrance Exams at Best MBA Colleges in Kerala in 2026
- 10 Best Private MBA Colleges in Kerala
- 5 Best Government MBA Colleges in Kerala
- Best Distance MBA Colleges in Kerala: Admission and Fees
- ROI of Best MBA Colleges in Kerala
- Best Cities for MBA in Kerala
- 9.1 Best MBA Colleges in Kochi
- 9.2 Best MBA Colleges in Thiruvananthapuram
- Compare the Best MBA Colleges in Kerala in 2026
Best MBA Colleges in Kerala: Highlights 2026
Going for a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Kerala can help in career, without breaking the bank and going for loans that will take years to complete. The prestigious private B-schools in Kerala generally have stronger industry ties with domestic and international companies. If you're planning to decide on the college, location, and specialisation within your budget, this table will give you an idea.
| Parameters |
Statistics |
|---|---|
| No. of MBA Colleges in Kerala |
180+ |
| Fee Ranges and Number of MBA Colleges in Kerala |
~ INR 36,000 - INR 14 Lakh |
| Top Specialisations |
Finance, Human Resources, Sales and Marketing, IT & Systems, Operations, etc. |
| Accepted Entrance Exams |
KMAT Kerala, CMAT, CAT, MAT, XAT, etc. |
Note: All info. is from official sites and can change.
Top MBA Colleges in Kerala with NIRF Ranking 2025
The annual NIRF ranking parameters for institutes in the management category can be good benchmarks to determine which MBA college is best in Kerala. These rankings are based on institutes offering the best resources to learn, the best and most diverse student intake, placements, as well as the industry reputation of each. Also, NIRF is not just analysing and ranking the colleges in the state against each other. It's benchmarking the institutes all over India. IIM Kozhikode is the clear winner with a high Graduation Outcome, with a score of 95. Overall, you will find two institutes in Kozhikode and two in Cochin that have made it to the top 100 list of management schools surveyed by NIRF. Except for Rajagiri Business School, the rest are all government institutes.
| College Names |
NIRF 2025 |
|---|---|
| 3 | |
| 82 | |
| 85 | |
| 91 |
Source: Official NIRF report. India Rankings 2025: Management.
Eligibility for Admissions at Best MBA Colleges in Kerala in 2026
Before MBA Admission in any of the colleges in Kerala, one has to meet these:
- Graduation from a recognised university, with 45-60% total score.
- Appeared and have met cutoffs for KMAT, CAT, MAT or similar entrance exams.
Entrance Exams at Best MBA Colleges in Kerala in 2026
These are the entrance exams to check.
| Exam Name |
Exam Schedule |
|---|---|
| KMAT Kerala |
|
| CMAT |
|
| CAT |
|
| MAT |
|
| XAT |
10 Best Private MBA Colleges in Kerala
The private MBA colleges in Kerala are the best when you consider fees, competitiveness, infrastructure, and ROI. They are much more affordable than those of private ownership of the best MBA colleges in India across states of Maharashtra and Karnataka, and in regions like Delhi NCR. That alone can make Kerala a good destination to pursue an MBA.
| College Names | Tuition Fees |
|---|---|
| INR 7.5 Lakh |
|
| INR 8 Lakh |
|
| Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship MBA Course |
INR 10 Lakh |
| INR 8+ Lakh |
|
| INR 3.6 Lakh |
|
| INR 7.95 Lakh |
|
| Amrita School of Business MBA Course | INR 8.2 Lakh |
| Nehru College of Engineering and Research Centre MBA Course | INR 80,000 |
| Sahrdaya Institute of Management Studies MBA Course | INR 3 Lakh |
| Bhavan's Royal Institute of Management MBA course | INR 2.8 Lakh |
Note: All info. is from official sites and can change.
5 Best Government MBA Colleges in Kerala
Based on the NIRF rankings above, there are 3 top government MBA colleges in Kerala - IIM, NIT, and Cochin University of Science and Technology. The other two in the table also are great offering full-time MBAs within INR 1 -2 Lakh.
| College Names | Tuition Fees |
|---|---|
| INR 21 Lakh – INR 23 Lakh |
|
| INR 3 Lakh |
|
| INR 67,000 - INR 2.8 Lakh |
|
| INR 84,000 - INR 8 Lakh |
|
| INR 1.8 Lakh |
Note: All info. is from official sites and can change.
Best Distance MBA Colleges in Kerala: Admission and Fees
For working professionals in the state or nearby regions, there are some good distance MBA colleges in Kerala that UGC has approved. Some of them also provide part-time MBAs at very low fees. A few can also offer direct admissions, where only a graduation score of 50% total is the required eligibility.
| College Names | Average Course Fees |
|---|---|
| ICFAI University – Distance Education Admission | INR 65,000 |
| Indian School of Business Management and Administration, Kochi Admission | INR 29,900 - 59,800 |
| School of Distance Education, University of Kerala | INR 82,350 |
| Mastermind Institute of Management, IT and Engineering (MIMIE Kochi) Admission | INR 51,000 - 75,000 |
Note: All info. is from official sites and can change.
ROI of Best MBA Colleges in Kerala
IIMs all over India have good placements. Their industry reputation is too high. But there are other good MBA colleges in Kerala, which have excellent to moderate average packages, making them worth the investment. You can review the MBA course links offered by different colleges here, the fee ranges, and the average packages MBA graduates make.
| College Names |
Total Tuition Fee |
Median Package |
|---|---|---|
| INR 21 Lakh - INR 23 Lakh |
INR 25 LPA - INR 27 LPA |
|
| INR 3 Lakh |
INR 9 LPA |
|
| INR 8.2 Lakh |
INR 8.11 LPA |
|
| Cochin University of Science and Technology Kochi MBA Placement | INR 1.22 Lakh | INR 7.5 LPA |
| Saintgits College of Engineering MBA Placement | INR 4.2 Lakh | INR 7.4 LPA |
Note: All info. is from official sites and can change.
Best Cities for MBA in Kerala
Some of the best places to go for an MBA in Kerala.
Best MBA Colleges in Kochi
Kochi has a large number of MBA colleges. Among the best MBA colleges in Kochi, beyond the known ones like Rajagiri Business School or SCMS School of Business, there are a couple more.
| Kochi MBA College Names | Total Tuition Fees for MBA/PGDM |
|---|---|
| Kochi Business School | INR 4 Lakh |
| Amity Global Business School | INR 6+ Lakh |
| Indian Maritime Unirvesity (IMU) | INR 4.1 Lakh |
| INR 4.3 Lakh | |
| INR 60,000 - INR 2.4 Lakh |
Note: All info. is from official sites and can change.
Best MBA Colleges in Thiruvananthapuram
The capital of Kerala has fewer MBA colleges than Kochi. While you can check the best MBA colleges in Thiruvananthapuram, see the essential options in the city below.
| College Name | Total Tuition Fees |
|---|---|
| INR 4 Lakh | |
| INR 2 Lakh |
|
| INR 2.6 Lakh |
|
| INR 4 Lakh |
Note: All info. is from official sites and can change.
To further analyse your choices, go through the comparison pages.
Best MBA Colleges in Kerala: Ranking, Fees, Admissions 2026, Courses, Placements
Commonly asked questions On Best MBA Colleges in Kerala: Ranking, Fees, Admissions 2026, Courses, Placements
The highest salary package for MBA at Saintgits College of Engineering offered is Rs 9.60 Lacs per annum and the lowest salary package offered is Rs 3.50 Lacs per annum. The top recruiters of this college are - Berger, naukri.com, TCS, SBI, Reliance Jio, PWC, Bata.
The highest package from Saintgits College of School of Management and Business Studies is Rs 4.9 Lacs per year which is about 45000 per month. The lowest package is Rs 15000 per month and the average package is Rs 30000 per month. Top recruiters are - Byju's The Learning App, Mondelez International, Federal Bank, Luker Lights, Berger Paints, TCS, Ramco.
Commonly asked questions On Best MBA Colleges in Kerala: Ranking, Fees, Admissions 2026, Courses, Placements
The minimum marks required for MBA at TKM Institute of Management 2023 are as follows:
- A minimum of 50% aggregate marks (i.e for all semesters or all parts of the examination; 35% in the case of SC /ST) is required for Bachelors or Masters degree approved by the University of Kerala.
- The candidate must have appeared for KMAT KERALA, CAT, or CMAT entrance exams.
- The cutoff rank for the General MBA course was 22955.
- The cutoff rank for the MBA IEV course, which is a dual degree programme with the University of Massachusetts, Boston, was 41719.
You can find more details about the eligibility criteria and the application process at the official website of TKM Institute of Management.
Yes, RCSS has a Placement and Career Support Cell that is dedicated to fostering extensive placement opportunities and career guidance support for the students. The Cell coordinates final placements to facilitate summer internships, industry interactions and collaborations with professional bodies.
Candidates have to complete a minimum of graduation to apply for Asian School of Business Trivandrum MBA programme. The minimum aggregate required is 50%. Hence, aspirants with 70% in graduation have a good chance of getting admission. However, candidates must also qualify any of the accepted entrance exams followed by GDPI round.
The University has released the median package details in the NIRF report 2024. During 2023 placements, the median package offered to PG (2-year) students was INR 3.26 LPA. Earlier, the median package offered in 2022 was INR 4.80 LPA. Looking at the past three years' records (2021 to 2023), a fluctuating trend was observed in the median package of PG (2-year) courses. For better understanding refer to the below table depicting the Central University of Kerala placement package trends:
| Course | Median Package (2021) | Median Package (2022) | Median Package (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| PG (2-year) | INR 3.48 LPA | INR 4.80 LPA | INR 3.26 LPA |
Commonly asked questions On Best MBA Colleges in Kerala: Ranking, Fees, Admissions 2026, Courses, Placements
Yes, IMU Kochi does offer MBA courses for the duration of two years and offered in full-time mode. The campus offers two specialisations in MBA courses, i.e., International Transportation & Logistics Management and Port & Shipping Management. To get admission into these courses, candidates are required to ensure that they have completed the basic eligibility criteria, which is candidates must complete their bachelor's degree with an aggregate of a minimum of 50%.
DCSMAT accepts CAT, CMAT, and KMAT scores for admission to its MBA program. Candidates must have scored at least 50% marks in their bachelor's degree from a recognised university to be eligible for admission to the MBA program. The selection of candidates for the MBA programme is done through their score in CAT/CMAT/KMAT followed by group discussion and personal interview. The aptitude test MAT conducted by All Indian Management Association (AIMA) is currently not included as an eligible test score for MBA admission.
The Adi Shankara Institute of Engineering and Technology (ASIET) offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme with a total of 120 seats. This number is divided among three specializations:
* Finance
* Human Resource Management
* Marketing Management
Each specialisation has 40 seats available.
Commonly asked questions On Best MBA Colleges in Kerala: Ranking, Fees, Admissions 2026, Courses, Placements
- Colleges in Kerala
- Colleges in India
- Colleges in Pune
- Top MBA Colleges in Kerala 2026
- Top Private MBA Colleges in India 2026
- Top IIMs in India 2026
- Top MBA Colleges in Karnataka 2026
- Top MBA Colleges in Maharashtra 2026
- MBA Colleges accepting CAT in India
- MBA Colleges accepting MAT in India
- MBA Colleges accepting SNAP in India
- MBA Colleges accepting XAT in India