Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Ranking, Fees, Admissions 2026, Courses, Placements
Shivansh
With various well-ranked central and state government management universities, Kerala is emerging as a national MBA hotspot. While the top MBA colleges in Kerala mostly include government colleges, there are several private colleges as well that are highly sought-after for MBA programs. IIM Kozhikode, NIT Calicut and RCBS Kochi are some of the best MBA colleges in Kerala.
The fee structures of these colleges start from INR 28,000 per semester for full-time programs and can go up to INR 15.95 lakh for the complete program. The universities also have impressive placement records, with the average package ranging from INR 4.78 to 27 LPA. CollegeHai has simplified the MBA journey by providing the complete details of fees, specialisations and placement information for various top MBA colleges.
To obtain admission to MBA programs in these universities, the students are required to appear for national-level or institute-specific entrance exams. These tests include the CAT, the CMAT, the MAT, the GMAT, the KMAT and many more. These MBA colleges in Kerala some of them also offer part-time MBA programs and executive MBA programs. These two could be the best for working professionals who want to complete their management studies after a long break as a full-time employee. The eligibility criteria for part-time MBA and Executive MBA are qualifying CAT scores with a minimum of working experience in the relevant field.
The list of best MBA colleges in Kerala includes names like IIM Kozhikode, NIT Calicut, and the College of Engineering in Trivandrum. In regard to the list of private MBA colleges in Kerala includes the Institute of Land and Disaster Management, Saintgits Institute of Management and Rajagiri Centre for Business Studies.
Top MBA Colleges in Kerala 2026: Key Highlights
Top Best MBA Colleges in Kerala
IIM Kozhikode is ranked third in the NIRF 2025 management category. It also appeared seventh in the overall (government) category and fifth in the PGPX category. NIT Calicut and the Institute of Management at Cochin University of Science and Technology have NIRF rankings. Several other universities on the list also hold IIRF rankings under private, central government and state government categories.
Most state and central government institutions like Cochin University of Science and Technology have a lower fee, starting from INR 28,000 per semester. The fee range goes up depending on the reputation of the institution. Premier institutes like IIM Kozhikode offer MBA and MBA-equivalent PGP at INR 15.95 - 23.5 lakh. CAT, CMAT and KMAT are the most commonly accepted entrances, while some institutes also accept XAT, NMAT, GMAT and institution-specific entrance exams. The table below describes the fee range, entrance requirements and the rankings of various colleges.
Top MBA Colleges in Kerala Ranked by NIRF 2025
The Ministry of Education ranks colleges and universities according to the National Institute of Ranking Framework or NIRF. Universities are evaluated based on research, placements and graduation outcomes and then are assigned ranks. IIM Kozhikode holds the top rank in the management category of NIRF rankings 2025 with a score of 79.85. It has been ranked 3rd nationally by NIRF in the 2025 rankings. Along with this Cochin University of Science and Technology, NIT Calicut and Rajagiri Business School also hold good positions in the NIRF rankings 2025. Below is the entire list for the best MBA colleges in kerala ranked by NIRF:
Top MBA Colleges in Kerala Ranked by IIRF 2025
The Indian Institute of Ranking Framework or IIRF is one of the most credible independent ranking bodies. It evaluates universities across 7 crucial parameters to rank them including placement performance, teaching, learning resources and pedagogy, placement strategy and support and industry integration. Several management institutes of Kerala feature in the IIRF rankings across categories. IIM Kozhikode falls in the 7th place under the overall category and 5th for PGPX programs. The CET School of Management has been ranked 39th overall for its management program. Likewise the Institute of Land and Disaster Management is at 46th place. Central University of Kerala’s School of Business Studies falls in the central university list on the 10th spot. Among private universities, SCMS Cochin School of Business, NCERC’s Nehru School of Management, and Saintgits Institute of Management are in 77th, 94th, and 121st places, respectively.
Top Government MBA Colleges in Kerala
Among the several government colleges that provide MBA in Kerala, there are various colleges which are top ranked by various ranking bodies. IIM Kozhikode is the most sought-after option, offering MBA for working professionals and MBA-equivalent PGP in Management, Finance, Liberal Studies and Management, and Business Leadership. Specialisations in Marketing, Finance, HRM, and Operations are provided by all the institutes. The School of Management Studies at Cochin University of Science and Technology offers a regular MBA with specialisations in Marketing, Finance, HRM, International Business, IT Management, Production & OM, and Data Science & BA. An executive MBA program is also available here.
NIT Calicut also falls among the govt MBA colleges in Kerala that offer specialisations in business analytics and systems, strategy, and entrepreneurship. The Department of Management Studies at the CET School of Management, College of Engineering Trivandrum offers the usual specialisations. Institute of Land and Disaster Management (IIDM), Thiruvananthapuram is a top-ranked institute that offers a unique MBA program with specialisation in Disaster Management. The specialisations offered by Central University of Kerala’s School of Business Studies include Marketing, Finance, HR, Operations and Systems. All these institutions accept CAT scores for entrance purposes. Apart from this, IIM Kozhikode requires EMAT scores for admission to the executive MBA program. CMAT and KMAT are also commonly accepted exams by top government MBA colleges in Kerala.
Top Private MBA Colleges in Kerala
RCBS, Cochin and Saintgits Institute of Management are the top private colleges in Kerala that offer MBA. Both these institutions offer the general specialisations. These include Marketing, Finance, and Business Analytics, etc. Apart from these Saintgits Institute of Management offers specialisations in Accounting & Control, Banking & Financial Services. A separate MBA in Logistics & Supply Chain Management is also provided. The entrance exams accepted by these colleges include CAT, CMAT, and KMAT. However Rajagiri entrance exam is the institute-specific admission test for RCBS.
Best MBA Colleges in Kerala: Specialisations and Fee Structure
The kind of specialisations offered determines the cost of MBA programs in Kerala. The cost of an MBA for working executives at IIM Kozhikode is INR 15.95 lakh. Cochin University of Science and Technology charges INR 28,000 for its full-time MBA program. For working professionals it offers a part-time MBA program at INR 26,000 per semester. MBA programs offered by NIT Calicut cost INR 99,886 for the full course.
The entire cost of the MBA program at the College of Engineering in Trivandrum is INR 1.5 lakh. IIDM offers an MBA program in disaster management at INR 78,000 for the first semester. The fee for Central University of Kerala’s MBA program is INR 1.8 lakh. Among all, the Central University of Kerala – School of Business Studies, IIDM Thiruvananthapuram, Cochin University of Science and Technology – School of Management Studies and CET School of Management, College of Engineering Trivandrum are the top MBA colleges in Kerala with low fees.
Top Executive MBA Colleges in Kerala
Executive MBAs are offered by the School of Management at Cochin University of Science and Technology and IIM Kozhikode. This is for professionals with at least three years of post-graduation work experience. The entire cost of this program at the Kozhikode campus is INR 15.95 lakh. This program is also offered by IIM Kozhikode’s Kochi campus. The fee for the online cohort of the same is INR 13.22 lakh while the physical, in-campus fee is INR 12.22 lakh. Valid EMAT scores are mandatory for admission. However, CAT, GRE or GMAT scores from the past three years are also accepted.
The MBA (Executive) program at Cochin University of Science and Technology is a hybrid, part-time program. Professionals applying for admission must have two years of work experience. This program costs INR 75,000 per semester. After a personal interview, admission is determined by the results of the CAT, CMAT, KMAT, or CUSAT MBA Entrance Test.
Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Fees, Highest Package, and ROI
The ROI is an important factor to consider while choosing a college. A college’s ROI is good if the salary offered after completing the program exceeds the total program fee. In the case of MBA colleges in Kerala, the ROI ranges from average to excellent. There are several low fees MBA colleges in Kerala that offer decent placements. IIM Kozhikode has the best return on investment of any MBA college in Kerala. The IIM Kozhikode MBA program costs between INR 15.95 lakh and INR 23.5 lakh. The highest package is INR 72 LPA. The average package offered ranges from INR 25 to 27 LPA. The program fee at NIT Calicut is relatively affordable at around INR 1 - 2 lakh.
The average package is INR 12.17 LPA and the highest package is INR 59.59 LPA which results in a good ROI. Cochin University of Science and Technology also offers excellent ROI. Being a government university, CUSAT offers an MBA at INR 20,000 to INR 75,000 per semester. The packages offered are decent, ranging from INR 8.49 to 18 LPA. Saintgits Institute of Management and RCBS, Kochi both offer moderate ROI. At RCBS Kochi, the fee ranges from INR 1.84 to 7 lakh. The average package offered is INR 11.38 LPA. The program fee for the MBA at Saintgits Institute of Management is INR 3.6 lakh. The placement packages offered range between INR 4.78 and 14.73 LPA.
Entrance Exams Accepted by MBA Colleges in Kerala
The CAT and other management exams like the CMAT and KMAT are really important for Kerala's MBA schools. They accept these exams the most.
IIM Kozhikode, Cochin University of Science and Technology NIT Calicut, RCBS Kochi, College of Engineering Trivandrum, IIDM Thiruvananthapuram and Saintgits Institute of Management are some of the institutions that accept the CAT exam results.
Although CAT is the most popular entrance test accepted by the most of the MBA colleges in Kerala. Apart from that the EMAT is also accepted for admission to the IIM Kozhikode. The KMAT is accepted by Saintgits Institute of Management, RCBS Kochi, College of Engineering Trivandrum and Cochin University of Science and Technology. All these mentioned MBA colleges also accepts CMAT for the admission.
RCBS also accepts MAT, GMAT and XAT scores. CUCET is the Central University of Kerala’s entrance exam.
Top MBA Colleges in Kerala : Scholarships
Students from economically weaker and reserved categories can take advantage of various scholarships offered by the UGC, State Government, Corporate sector and Universities. Eligible students can apply for major central government scholarships for SC, ST, and the economically weaker sections. At IIM Kozhikode students can avail financial support through the IIMK Merit Scholarship and Need-Based Financial Assistance. Corporate scholarships include the Aditya Birla Group Scholarship and IDFC First Bank MBA Scholarship.
Why choose Kerala for MBA?
Kerala is an emerging MBA destination as it has several well-ranked institutions with affordable fees and strong ROI. Several premier institutes like IIM Kozhikode, NIT Calicut, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Central University of Kerala, and more are located here. Top names among private institutions include RCBS, Kochi and Saintgits Institute of Management. The fee range starts as low as INR 28,000 per semester at CUSAT and goes up to INR 15.95 to 23.5 lakh at IIM Kozhikode. This makes it an accessible destination for students across budgets.
Several institutes offer excellent placement outcomes. The average packages can range from INR 4.78 to 27 LPA. At institutions like IIM Kozhikode and NIT Calicut, the highest package can go up to INR 72 LPA. This further suggests great ROI with low salaries and strong salary outcomes. The admissions take place through well-known management entrance exams like CAT, CMAT, KMAT and more. All these institutes offer the general specialisations in marketing, finance, HRM, and operations. Apart from these, specialisations are also available in Business Analytics, Systems, and Strategy and Entrepreneurship. IIDM, Thiruvananthapuram also offers a specialised MBA in disaster management. Students also get exposure to top recruiters like Amazon, EY, Infosys, Microsoft, Capgemini, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI General, Vodafone, Indiamart, HCL, PwC, Asian Paints, etc. through placements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the fee range for MBA colleges in Kerala?
MBA fees in Kerala can start from INR 28,000 at institutes like CUSAT. It can go up to INR 15.95 - 23.5 lakh for full programs at institutes like IIM Kozhikode.
Q2. Which entrance exams are accepted by MBA colleges in Kerala?
CAT, CMAT and KMAT are the most commonly accepted exams in Kerala’s MBA colleges. Other accepted exams include EMAT, MAT, GMAT, XAT, CUSAT Admission Test, Rajagiri Entrance Exam, and CUCET.
Q3. What are the placement outcomes of MBA colleges in Kerala?
The average packages at MBA colleges of Kerala range between INR 4.78 and 27 LPA. The highest package can go up to INR 72 LPA.
Q4. Which are the top MBA colleges in Kerala?
Top MBA colleges in Kerala include IIM Kozhikode, NIT Calicut, CUSAT’s School of Management, Central University of Kerala, and more.
Q5. What are the specialisations offered by MBA colleges in Kerala?
Most MBA colleges in Kerala offer the usual specialisations like marketing, finance, HRM, and operations. Other specialisations include Business Analytics, Systems, Strategy and Entrepreneurship, and Disaster Management.
