NIRF Ranking Top MBA Colleges in Kerala 2026: Ranking, Fees, Admissions, Courses & Placements
Pursuing an MBA in Kerala is becoming an increasingly attractive option for management aspirants due to its combination of academic excellence, affordable fee structures, and promising placements. With institutions consistently performing well in the NIRF Rankings, Kerala has built a strong reputation in management education.
This guide covers the top MBA colleges in Kerala (2026) with details on rankings, fees, admissions, courses, placements, and scholarships, to help students make an informed decision.
📌 Table of Contents
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Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Highlights 2026
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Top MBA Colleges in Kerala with NIRF Ranking 2026
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Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Outlook Ranking 2026
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Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Times Ranking 2026
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Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Admissions 2026
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Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Exam Schedule 2026
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Entrance Exams Accepted at the Top MBA Colleges in Kerala
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Top MBA Colleges in Kerala Accepting CAT Scores
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Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Fees, Seat Intake, Eligibility, Entrance Exams
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Region-wise Top MBA Colleges in Kerala
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Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Admission and Fees
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Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Courses and Fees
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Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Fees Vs Salary
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Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Placements and Top Recruiters
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Low-cost Top MBA Colleges in Kerala
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Best Top MBA Colleges in Kerala – Top Specialisations
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Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Cutoff
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Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Scholarship 2026
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Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Comparison 2026
🎓 Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Highlights 2026
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Affordable MBA and PGDM courses compared to metro cities.
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Popular exams accepted: CAT, CMAT, KMAT Kerala, XAT, MAT.
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Specialisations in Finance, HR, Marketing, Operations, International Business, Rural & Agri-Business Management.
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Many institutions offer 100% placement assistance with strong industry connections.
🏆 Top MBA Colleges in Kerala with NIRF Ranking 2026
| Rank | College Name | Location | Average Fees (₹) | Average Placement (₹ LPA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | IIM Kozhikode | Kozhikode | 20,50,000 | 25 – 30 LPA |
| 45 | Rajagiri Business School | Kochi | 7,00,000 | 6 – 8 LPA |
| 62 | SCMS Cochin School of Business | Kochi | 6,50,000 | 5 – 6.5 LPA |
| 78 | DC School of Management & Technology | Vagamon/Kochi | 4,80,000 | 4 – 5.5 LPA |
| 90 | Lead College of Management | Palakkad | 3,80,000 | 4 – 5 LPA |
📊 Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Outlook & Times Rankings 2026
Apart from NIRF, Outlook and Times rankings also list top B-Schools:
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Rajagiri Business School, Kochi – Ranked among Top 40 Private B-Schools.
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SCMS Cochin School of Business – Featured in Times Top 100 B-Schools list.
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IIM Kozhikode – Consistently in Top 5 IIMs in India.
📅 Top MBA Colleges in Kerala: Admissions 2026
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Admissions are based on CAT, KMAT Kerala, CMAT, MAT, XAT scores.
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Some colleges conduct Group Discussions & Personal Interviews.
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Online application portals are available for most institutions.
✍ Entrance Exams Accepted at Top MBA Colleges in Kerala
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CAT 2026 – Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs)
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KMAT Kerala 2026 – State-level exam for Kerala colleges
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CMAT 2026 – National-level AICTE exam
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XAT 2026 – XLRI exam, accepted by many institutes
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MAT 2026 – Accepted by several private B-Schools in Kerala
💰 MBA Fees Vs Salary in Kerala
| College | Fees (₹ Lakhs) | Average Salary (₹ LPA) | Highest Salary (₹ LPA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Kozhikode | 20.5 | 27 | 67.5 (international) |
| Rajagiri Business School | 7.0 | 7.5 | 12 |
| SCMS Cochin | 6.5 | 6 | 10 |
| DC School of Management | 4.8 | 5 | 8 |
| Lead College of Management | 3.8 | 4.5 | 7 |
💼 Placements and Top Recruiters
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Top Recruiters: Deloitte, TCS, KPMG, EY, Amazon, HDFC Bank, Infosys, Asian Paints, ITC, Wipro.
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Placement trends: Finance, Consulting, IT, and FMCG sectors lead.
🎯 Low-cost Top MBA Colleges in Kerala
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Lead College of Management, Palakkad
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Marian International Institute of Management, Kuttikkanam
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Holy Grace Academy of Management Studies, Mala
🎓 Best MBA Specialisations in Kerala
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Marketing Management
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Finance & Banking
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HR & Organisational Behaviour
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International Business
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Rural & Agri-Business Management
🎓 Scholarships 2026
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Merit-based scholarships for top scorers in CAT/KMAT.
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Need-based financial aid for economically weaker students.
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Government scholarships under Post-Matric schemes.
🔍 Comparison of Top MBA Colleges in Kerala 2026
| College | NIRF Rank | Fees | Average Package | Entrance Exams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Kozhikode | 25 | ₹20.5 L | ₹27 LPA | CAT |
| Rajagiri B-School | 45 | ₹7 L | ₹7.5 LPA | CAT, CMAT, KMAT |
| SCMS Cochin | 62 | ₹6.5 L | ₹6 LPA | CAT, MAT, CMAT |
| DC School | 78 | ₹4.8 L | ₹5 LPA | KMAT, CMAT, CAT |
| Lead College | 90 | ₹3.8 L | ₹4.5 LPA | CMAT, KMAT |
✅ Conclusion
Kerala offers some of the best MBA opportunities in India with IIM Kozhikode leading the way and several reputed private institutions like Rajagiri, SCMS, DC School, and Lead College providing excellent ROI, quality faculty, and strong placements.
If you’re planning to pursue MBA in Kerala 2026, these colleges should be at the top of your list.