Top PGDM Colleges in Lucknow 2026 – Rankings, Fees, Admissions, ROI & More

Lucknow is known for its strong academic support in PGDM programs, helping students build a solid knowledge base. It also focuses on providing valuable industry exposure to prepare students for real-world challenges. Leading institutes like Jaipuria Institute of Management, IILM Academy of Higher Learning, and the Institute of Productivity and Management offer a two-year full-time PGDM program. Its four semesters are structured to provide theoretical and practical learning through internships and live projects. Students can select from multiple specializations such as human resources, operations, finance, marketing, and retail management. These autonomous institutes are approved by AICTE. For the PGDM course, total fees range from INR 4.10 to INR 14.75 Lakh, which is generally less expensive than in the metro cities. 

The candidates who desire to join PGDM courses at Lucknow can proceed if they have done graduation with at least 50% marks and have qualified for the entrance exams like CMAT, CAT, MAT, etc. After passing the entrance exam, they have to appear and succeed in the group discussions and personal interviews as well. The students doing PGDM from the best colleges in Lucknow get several job opportunities in marketing manager, financial analyst, operations manager, HR manager, and business analyst positions. The average salaries for these positions are between INR 4–12 LPA which are dependent on the specialization and the reputation of the college.

Top PGDM Colleges in Lucknow Highlights

Top PGDM Colleges in Lucknow 2026

Jaipuria Institute of Management, IILM Lucknow, and IPM Lucknow are known for their quality education, placement records, and affordable fee structure. The fees in these top 3 colleges lie in a range between INR 4.10 lakh and INR 14.75 lakh for the entire course duration. 

Besides the common PGDM specialization in Financial Management, these top PGDM colleges in Lucknow offer various other specializations such as HRM, Services Management, and more. More details of the top PGDM Colleges in Lucknow 2026 are given below:

Top PGDM Colleges in Lucknow Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for admission to top PGDM colleges in Lucknow in 2026 need applicants to have completed a bachelor's degree with a minimum aggregate of 50% marks. Candidates currently in their final year of graduation can also apply provisionally, subject to meeting the minimum eligibility at the time of admission. In addition, admission is based on national-level management entrance exam scores in CAT, XAT, CMAT and MAT. These entrance examinations are commonly accepted by most of the colleges in Lucknow for PGDM. There are also other exams like ATMA and JMET, which some colleges also consider.  

Top PGDM Colleges in Lucknow with Ranking

In Lucknow, Jaipuria Institute of Management is the only PGDM college featured in the NIRF Rankings 2025 among other top PGDM colleges in the city. Jaipuria Institute of Management in Lucknow has improved its NIRF ranking from 72 in 2024 to 67 in 2025, with its score rising from 48.32 to 50.86. These rankings are indicators of the quality of education, and great placements record. 

List of Private PGDM Colleges in Lucknow

The admissions in colleges like Jaipuria Institute of Management, IILM Academy of Higher Learning, Institute of Productivity and Management, etc, are done on the basis of the scores of the examination such as MAT, XAT, CMAT, ATMA and CAT. The expected cutoffs generally vary from 60 percentile to above 90 percentile. S.S. Institute of Management and Basudev Institute of Management and Technology are also among the top private PGDM colleges in Lucknow. These colleges have a wide range of fees, which is approximately from INR 1.33 lakh to INR that follows the same selection process with fee of 14.75 lakh for the entire course duration.

Top PGDM Colleges in Lucknow Fee & Salary

Best PGDM institutions in Lucknow provide students with varied fee structures and salary packages. The cost of PGDM courses at Jaipuria Institute of Management is close to INR 14.75 lakh for the whole course, while IILM and IPM, two other well-known colleges, have PGDM programs priced between INR 4 lakh and 7 lakh. The graduates from these colleges get an average salary package starting with INR 4 lakh per annum. But top performers can get much higher packages depending on their specialization and the placement situation. The return of these colleges on your investment is considered to be good due to their strong industry relations, hands-on training, and placement support.

PGDM Admission Process in Lucknow Colleges

The admission process for leading PGDM colleges in Lucknow is simple and fast: apply online, pass an entrance test such as CAT or MAT, participate in group discussions and interviews, and secure your seat by paying the fees.

Step 1: Firstly and most importantly, one should understand and check the eligibility criteria. Applicants should possess a bachelors degree with at least 50% marks and have scored well in entrance examinations such as CAT, CMAT, ATMA, etc.

Step 2: In case the entrance exam is not already completed, then it is mandatory to register for and take the required entrance exam.

Step 3: The online registration has to be done on the official website of the college you want to join.

Step 4: The candidate should pay the application fee online as part of the application process.

Step 5: Applicants must complete the application form with utmost care and submit all requisite documents.

Step 6: Take part in selection rounds including a case study or group discussion and personal interview.

Step 7: If you are selected, the next step would be to pay the admission fees and send the required documents, thus confirming into the college.

Frequently Asked Questions