Top MBA Colleges in Kerala 2025 – Rankings, Fees, Placements & Admission Details

Kerala’s 96.2 % literacy rate shows a strong foundation in management education, including MBA. Few colleges are very popular for their MBA courses, like IIM Kozhikode and NIT Calicut, which have gained a high ranking among all colleges in the state. They also have good average salaries for a graduate candidate of their college. This state consistently prioritises quality education and well-developed skills for MBA aspirants. 

Securing admission in one of the top management schools in Kerala often involves an entrance exam and other selection processes. Many colleges accept national-level examinations like CMAT, CAT, MAT, etc and in Kerala, most colleges also prefer KMAT score, which is conducted twice in a year and can secure admission in state universities. An MBA is a professional course and can cost up to INR 1 Lakh to INR 15 Lakh, depending on the colleges and their reputation. 

Top MBA Colleges in Kerala Highlights 2025

There are many good colleges of MBA in Kerala providing excellent placements. Yearly CAT, CMAT, or KMAT Kerala are organised for management courses. Choosing an MBA in Kerala covers many aspects So, it’s important to know all the details of respective colleges that help a candidate better understand their subject for specializations and their expenses. 

MBA Colleges in Kerala with NIRF & Business Today Rankings 

For Students who are looking for a great MBA college in Kerala, rankings from reliable sources like NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) and Business Today are the best sources to evaluate any college’s reputation. These rankings are generally based on the quality of teaching of any institution, its placement records, and campus environment. 

NIRF Ranking 2024 for MBA Colleges in Kerala

Every year, NIRF releases a ranking list for colleges and universities across the country. This ranking is categorized into various types such as overall list, management, universities, colleges, engineering, medical etc. MBA colleges management list is preferred in the 2024 list, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kozhikode is secured an All India Rank of 3. Other institutions in Kerala have also been ranked in the management category. The list below includes both state and central universities' names that are ranked in NIRF:

Business Today Rankings 2024 for MBA Colleges in Kerala 

Business Today Ranking for MBA colleges considers various factors like learning experience, placement rate and future orientation of colleges. This list consists only top colleges that perform well and this shows that the listed colleges are the best choice for an MBA. In 2024 IIMK obtained the 4th position in the management category. Check all other colleges and their rankings: 

MBA Admission Process in Kerala 2025 

Management entrance exams are the primary way to get admission. Top institution like IIM Kozhikode and National institute of technology (NIT) Calicut in Kerala has a very structured process. 

Stage 1: Entrance Exam 

• Choose the right entrance exam according to the colleges, CAT, XAT, KMAT, and CMAT based on the colleges you aim for, as some prefer national-level exams and others may accept state-level exams.

• Check the eligibility criteria for college and entrance test, usually a bachelor's degree with minimum marks - 50% for the General category and 45% for reserved categories is accepted but this might change for some categories or preference type. Most MBA entrance examinations in India accept applications from final-year students of a bachelor's degree (graduation) program. 

• Applying candidates must take the exam and only qualified candidates will be able to secure seats in their desired colleges. 

• After clearing the exam, apply directly to the shortlisted MBA colleges by submitting the required documents (mark sheets, identity proof) and paying the application fee.

Stage 2. Interview and Group discussion

• Selected candidates will be able to check their names in the provisional merit list or selection list. Colleges then invite them for a further screening process. Colleges screen applications based on entrance scores, academic records of class 10th, 12th, and graduation. Sometimes additional factors like work experience or gender diversity are also considered.

• Shortlisted candidates are called for a personal interview or group discussion round. During this process college’s faculty or panel will be taking one-on-one interview of a candidate and evaluate their performance. This will be of 10 to 15% weightage or marks and final selection will be based on its mark 

• In this round, jury members can take a short problem test or a personality aptitude test to assess performance in communication skills, problem-solving, and overall personality traits. 

• This stage, combined with entrance exam scores and past academic performance, determines final selection.

Stage 3. Seat Confirmation and Fee Submission

• All Selected candidates in the interview and aptitude tests will be sent an admission offer letter with the counselling and other process details. 

• Candidates need to appear at the university to secure admission. In this process, candidates must pay the first instalment of the course fees by the specified deadline. In some cases, seat security fees are also applicable. 

• This confirms their seat at the college, completing the admission process. 

MBA Entrance Exam Schedule 2025 

Entrance tests like KMAT Kerala, CAT, CMAT, GMAT etc, are scheduled on different timelines few of them are conducted more than once, while some national-level examinations, such as CAT and XAT are happen only once a year. It is important to know the management exam schedule so that a candidate can prepare accordingly. Below is the examination schedule of all tests accepted in Kerala: 

Entrance exam accepted by MBA colleges in Kerala 

Some top colleges like IIM Kozhikode select their candidate on the basis of the CAT score. But there are also many other good colleges in Kerala that also accept different exams at the state level, i.e., KMAT Kerala exam. And some other national exams like CMAT, XAT, and MAT are also commonly accepted. 

Top Private MBA Colleges in Kerala

Private colleges in Kerala operate independently and offer flexibility to students. MBA colleges in Keraka offer great learning environments and good job opportunities and have better student support. They provide many specialised courses and strong connections with industries for placements. For example, Rajagiri Business School charges fees of approx INR 7-8 Lakhs with availability of 240-300 seats. 

Top Government MBA Colleges in Kerala

Kerala has some excellent government-funded MBA colleges too, which are highly popular due to their lower fees compared to private institutions. These colleges are supported by the state or central government. Colleges like IIM Kozhikode are strongest in research, public service, and quality management education. IIM Kozhikode is a central government institution, and has fees ranging from INR 20.5-22.5 Lakhs. 

Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Eligibility Criteria

For a candidate to get into an MBA program in Kerala, they need to meet a few basic requirements. Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree in any subject from a university that is recognized by the government. 

• For most colleges, a candidate must need to have at least 50% marks in a Bachelor's degree and around 45% or just passing marks for a reserved group like SC/ST/OBC. 

• A candidate must have passed the cutoff marks set by the respective colleges in the MBA entrance exam like KMAT Kerala, CAT, CMAT, XAT, MAT, NMAT, GMAT. Many private and some government colleges accept scores from these national-level exams. 

• Also, the final year student can apply for this exam but if they get selected in these exams, then they have to show their degree as proof that they have passed their degree with the required marks before getting enrolled in an MBA program. 

• Work Experience is optional in many cases, but it is not mandatory. For the Executive MBA (EMBA) program, work experience is mandatory. 

MBA Colleges in Kerala Fees vs. Salary (ROI)

A good ROI means a candidate gets a much better salary compared to the fees they've paid. In Kerala, many colleges offer strong ROIs. For example, while IIM Kozhikode charges higher fees, typically between INR 20.5 - 22.5 Lakhs but the investment makes a great return with an average annual salary of around INR 28.05 Lakhs. On the other hand,  institutions like NIT Calicut offer excellent value, with fees of just INR 1-3 Lakhs and a return on the average investment of approximately INR 9 Lakhs per year. Similarly, Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) provides outstanding Return on Investment (ROI). 

Highest Salary Offered by MBA Colleges in Kerala

In Kerala, some top institutions have a great record of offering very high salaries to their students. Sometimes, students do earn lakhs of rupees as their annual income. This mostly goes with specialized high-demand areas like consulting or finance, which also help candidates in securing international job offers. For example, IIM Kozhikode gives the highest salary offer of INR 72.02 Lakhs annually, in both domestic and international placements. NIT Calicut also shows strong results, with students securing salaries as high as INR 51 Lakhs per annum and Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) have shown high packages of up to INR 25 Lakhs annually. 

Cost of Studying an MBA in Kerala

Doing an MBA in Kerala costs more than just tuition fees like hostel and mess fees, and some additional costs for books, projects, and personal needs. These extra expenses put a heavy additional load on the student's overall budget. While some colleges offer all-inclusive fees that also include other items. For example, IIM Kozhikode's tuition costs around INR 20.5-22.5 Lakhs, with an additional INR 1.5 Lakhs for hostel and INR 40,000 for mess fees annually, NIT Calicut has a lower tuition fee of INR 1-3 Lakhs annually, and hostel/mess fees cost from INR 50,000-1 Lakh yearly, and Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) costs tuition as low as INR 67,040-2.8 Lakhs, has hostel/mess charges between INR 30,000-60,000 annually, and even minor academic expenses cost extra. 

Top MBA Specializations in Kerala Colleges

When pursuing an MBA, students choose a specific area of specialization for their professional development. For example, Marketing and Finance are highly popular specializations and available at over 10 institutions, including famous institutions like IIM Kozhikode, Rajagiri Business School, and SCMS Cochin School of Business. 

 

Human Resources (HR) and Operations Management are also very popular and offered by approximately 8-10 colleges. 

 

Apart from this, few fields are trending these days in a growing market such as Business Analytics and is provided by around 5 or more colleges, which include IIM Kozhikode and Amrita School of Business. This wide range of options allows students to select a specialization that perfectly goes with their career choice.

Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Cutoffs 2025

Every college sets its cutoffs, which are likely to be the minimum scores a candidate needs to pass for admission. These cutoffs can be different for various exams and for different types of students, like general or reserved categories. For example, IIM Kozhikode does have a very high CAT cutoff that typically requires an overall 75-85 percentile in each section for general category students. While other colleges take admission through KMAT Kerala or CMAT scores. 

Compare Top MBA Colleges in Kerala 

Selecting the right MBA college involves comparing fees, average graduate salaries, and specializations. It is important to research colleges and courses’ all factors to get an idea of the quality of education. This will help a candidate to secure their future in the management industry. If a candidate is evaluating colleges’ reputation, then one should consider placement, infrastructure, faculty, industry exposure etc. Check out the given table: 

Frequently Asked Questions