Top Tier 2 MBA Colleges in India – Placements, fees, cutoffs
In a country like India, where academic clout is considered supreme, many great MBA colleges go unnoticed. While ‘great’ can be a subjective term, most of us would agree that good placements, good RoI, good campuses, and a talented cohort would ideally constitute a great MBA college. And it should not come as a surprise that many tier 2 MBA colleges in India meet these criteria. While they may not be as renowned as their higher-ranked counterparts, they offer students industry-relevant pedagogy, vibrant campus lives, a strong network, and noteworthy placements. In fact, in many of these colleges, the top quarter percentile of qualified students makes as much as the median salary package of Tier 1 colleges.
Surprised? Don’t be.
In this blog, we’ll cover the top tier 2 MBA colleges in India that should be on your radar if you’re looking for a great management program despite not making it to the IIMs. After all, with just a few thousand seats in the 21 IIMs and lakhs of aspirants, not everyone is destined to make it there. But that shouldn’t stop you from chasing that dream of a great MBA and the subsequent career acceleration. Many tier 2 MBA colleges in India have built impactful programs with great student reviews. Moreover, many of the colleges in this list have lower entry barriers and slightly lower fees, making them ideal. For instance, students armed with an MBA from VGSoM, IIT Kharagpur, got an average placement of nearly ₹21 Lakh while shelling out just ₹12.70 Lakh in fees.
Link to Download CAT Admit Card 2024
With that example, let’s dive into the full list of the top tier 2 MBA colleges in India.
Read More – The Top MBA Colleges in India
| Tier 2 MBA Colleges in India | IMS Classification | Average Salary (LPA) | Fees (Rs. Lakhs) | Exams Accepted |
| Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai (GLIM) (PGPM) | A4 | 18.10 | 21.25 | CAT, XAT, CMAT, GMAT, NMAT |
| Indian Institute of Management, Raipur (IIM-Raipur) (PGP) | A4 | 19.7 | 16.28 | CAT |
| Indian Institute of Management, Ranchi (IIM-Ranchi) (MBA) | A4 | 18.69 | 17.50 | CAT |
| Indian Institute Of Management, Rohtak (IIM-Rohtak) (PGP) | A4 | 19.27 | 17.90 | CAT |
| Indian Institute Of Management, Tiruchirappalli (IIM-Trichy) (PGPM + PGPM-HR) | A4 | 19.43 | 19.70 | CAT |
| Indian Institute Of Management, Udaipur (IIM-U) (MBA) | A4 | 20.3 | 20.50 | CAT |
| Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT KGP VGSOM) (MBA) | A4 | 20.83 | 12.70 | CAT |
| Indian Institute Of Technology, Madras (IIT-M DOMS) (MBA) | A4 | 16.93 | 10.99 | CAT |
| Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS) (MSc Finance)
Read More – JBIMS Placements 2024 |
A4 | 19.35 | 9.00 | CAT, CET |
| MICA, Ahmedabad (PGDM-C + PGDM) | A4 | 20.09 | 23.00 | CAT, XAT, GMAT + MICAT |
| SVKM’s NMIMS, Mumbai (MBA HR)
Read More – NMAT Cutoffs 2024 |
A4 | 19.56 | 25.84 | NMAT |
| Symbiosis Centre For Management And Human Resource Development (SCMHRD Pune) (MBA)
Read More – SNAP Cutoffs 2024 |
A4 | 24.28 | 24.12 | SNAP |
| XIM University (MBA BM)
Read More – XIMB Cutoffs |
A4 | 17.01 | 21.50 | CAT, XAT, GMAT, X-GMT |
| BITSoM, BITS School of Management (MBA) | A5 | 23.50 | 27.20 | CAT, GMAT, GRE |
| DMS – IIT Roorkee – MBA | A5 | 18.34 | 9.54 | CAT |
| IMI Delhi – PGDM | A5 | 17.20 | 22.25 | CAT, XAT, GMAT |
| Indian Institute of Management, Amritsar (IIM Amritsar) (MBA + MBA BA + MBA HRM) | A5 | 16.51 | 17.30 | CAT |
| Indian Institute of Management, Jammu (IIM-Jammu) (MBA) | A5 | 15.48 | 17.15 | CAT |
| Indian Institute Of Management, Kashipur (IIM-Kashipur) (MBA + MBA Analytics) | A5 | 18.10 | 17.30 | CAT |
| Indian Institute of Management, Nagpur (IIM-N) (MBA) | A5 | 16.29 | 18.90 | CAT |
| Indian Institute of Management, Ranchi (IIM-Ranchi) (MBA-Business Analytics) | A5 | 19.13 | 17.50 | CAT |
| Indian Institute of Management, Ranchi (IIM-Ranchi) (MBA-HR) | A5 | 18.37 | 17.50 | CAT |
| Indian Institute of Management, Visakhapatnam (IIM-V) (PGP) | A5 | 15.61 | 19.00 | CAT |
| Indian Institute Of Technology, Kanpur (IME IIT Kanpur) (MBA) | A5 | 18.14 | 11.50 | CAT |
Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad (IMT-Ghaziabad) (PGDM)
 Read More – IMT Ghaziabad Placements 2024 |
A5 | 17.35 | 21.54 | CAT, GMAT, XAT |
| Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS) (MHRD) | A5 | 16.50 | 10.00 | Own Test |
| Symbiosis Centre For Management And Human Resource Development (SCMHRD Pune) (MBA BA) | A5 | 22.03 | 19.98 | SNAP |
| Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Kharagpur MHRM | B1 | 15.43 | 4.50 | CAT |
| Goa Institute of Management (GIM) (PGDM)
Read More – GIM Goa Cutoffs 2024 |
B1 | 14.87 | 21.04 | CAT, XAT, CMAT, GMAT |
| Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai (GLIM) (PGDM) | B1 | 15.65 | 20.80 | CAT, XAT, CMAT, GMAT |
| Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon (GLIM) (PGPM) | B1 | 15.80 | 20.25 | CAT, XAT, CMAT, GMAT, NMAT |
| IMI Delhi – PGDM B&FS | B1 | 16.48 | 22.25 | CAT, XAT, GMAT |
| IMI Delhi – PGDM HRM | B1 | 15.58 | 22.25 | CAT, XAT, GMAT |
| Indian Institute of Management, Bodh Gaya (IIM-Bodh Gaya) (MBA) | B1 | 13.90 | 17.00 | CAT |
| Indian Institute of Management, Sambalpur (IIM Sambalpur) (MBA) | B1 | 14.21 | 13.08 | CAT |
| Indian Institute of Management, Sirmaur (IIM-Sirmaur) (MBA) | B1 | 14.45 | 16.00 | CAT |
| Institute
of Management Technology, Ghaziabad (IMT-Ghaziabad) (PGDM-Marketing |
B1 | 18.08 | 19.53 | CAT, GMAT, XAT |
| Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad (IMT-Ghaziabad) (PGDM BFS) | B1 | 16.27 | 19.53 | CAT, GMAT, XAT |
| Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad (IMT-Ghaziabad) (PGDM DCP) | B1 | 16.56 | 27.23 | CAT, GMAT, XAT |
| Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad (IMT-Ghaziabad) (PGDM-Finance) | B1 | 15.59 | 19.53 | CAT, GMAT, XAT |
| IRMA Anand – PGDM RM | B1 | 14.14 | 16.80 | CAT, XAT, CMAT |
| Jio Institute – PGP in AI&DS Programme | B1 | 19.34 | 9.75 | CAT, GRE, GMAT, GATE, Own Test |
| Jio Institute – PGP in DM&MC Programme | B1 | 17.52 | 9.75 | CAT, GRE, GMAT, GATE, Own Test |
| Masters’
Union (PGP TBM) |
B1 | 34.07 | 25.44 | CAT, GRE, GMAT, Own Test |
| SDA Bocconi Asia Center – IMBÂ | B1 | 14.30 | 21.60 | CAT, NMAT, GMAT, Bocconi Test, GRE |
| SIMSREE Mumbai – MMS | B1 | 13.33 | 4.38 | CET, CAT, CMAT |
| SME – IIT Jodhpur | B1 | 13.03 | 11.00 | CAT |
| SVKM’s NMIMS, Mumbai (Dual Degree MBA Decision Science & Analytics with Purdue University) | B1 | 17.94 | 34.00 | NMAT |
| SVKM’s NMIMS, Mumbai (MBA Business Analytics + MBA Digital Transformation) | B1 | 17.85 | 20.00 | NMAT |
| Symbiosis Centre For Management And Human Resource Development (SCMHRD Pune) (MBA IDM) | B1 | 16.11 | 16.09 | SNAP |
| T. A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI Manipal) (MBA) | B1 | 13.84 | 19.45 | CAT, XAT, GMAT, NMAT |
| UBS Chandigarh – MBA | B1 | 13.70 | 4.60 | CAT |
| Xavier University, School of Human Resource Management (MBA HRM) | B1 | 15.12 | 21.30 | CAT, XAT, GMAT, X-GMT, NMAT |
Read More – The Top MBA Colleges in Mumbai
How to choose the right tier 2 MBA colleges in India?
With so many great options listed above, it can get a bit confusing as to how to pick the right tier 2 MBA college for yourself. There are so many factors involved in a decision as crucial as this. We’ve listed a few of the below:
Placement Data
While hard placement statistics such as highest, average, and median salaries alone cannot be used to determine student outcomes, it is the only source of clean data easily available. Most other long-term outcomes, such as future growth and job roles, take time to manifest, making them harder to quantify. Keeping that in mind, check out audited placement reports from official websites only. See which companies visit the campuses and what sort of roles are on offer. Your goal should be to align your choice of tier 2 MBA colleges in India with your career aspirations.
Alumni Reviews
Alumni reviews will be your single biggest source of verified BSchool information. Look up the alumni of your chosen tier 2 MBA college on LinkedIn. Before you text them to discuss the value actualisation and scope of their MBA, peruse their profile and make a note of their job roles and career trajectory. Does it mirror the one you want? If yes, consider it a huge positive sign. Ask them about their college experience and whether it was worth the time and money. The conversation should reveal quite a few incisive insights about your target college.
Read More – The Top MBA Colleges with Low Fees
ROI
Pursuing an MBA degree from one of the many tier 2 MBA colleges in India is a massive investment of time, money, and energy. Most colleges charge exorbitant fees, notwithstanding the opportunity costs involved. But many great MBA programs with high fees also offer great returns down the line, allowing you to quickly recover costs and build equity. That’s why RoI is such a critical factor. We’ve used this parameter to score colleges on how well they help you build your career in the right direction. Keep in mind this parameter takes up greater importance when considering tier 2 MBA colleges in India since spending heftily on a program with little to no returns is a bad investment.
Brand and Legacy Value
As mentioned in the previous parameter, an institution’s brand value is a crucial factor in deciding the fate of its students. This comprises employer reviews, academic perception, and peer perception. Often, the age of the institute also plays a part in carving a legacy. This factor comes into play when considering non-conventional schools such as the IITs, BITS, and NITs. These schools are traditionally associated with a solid engineering program, but as you can see above, their MBA programs are also bolstered by their legacies.
Campus and Cohort Details
While not as critical as the other factors, the campus and cohort should also play a role in your decision. After all, a better campus also spells more exposure and access to opportunities to build your profile. Larger campuses generally tend to have more facilities, allowing you to lead a better life on campus. But do not take colleges at face value and make it a point to visit the campuses on open days.
Along similar lines, your cohort will also help shape you as an individual. When around similarly ambitious, hard-working, and talented people, your potential will also expand, enabling you to absorb more information. And let’s not forget the power of a solid network and how it can come in handy down the road.
Armed with this information, along with the curated list of the top tier 2 MBA colleges in India given above, you should be able to make the most of any opportunity that comes your way. If you are looking to apply next year to these prestigious institutions, you should begin prepping right now for all entrances. The IMS CATapult program gives you over 100 engaging classes and masterclasses along with 100+ mock tests and thousands of practice questions, ensuring you are prepared not just for CAT but also for XAT, NMAT, SNAP, GMAT, and MICAT. Just click on the banner above to check out the program.
Disclaimer: The information, statistics, and data contained herein are produced, processed, compiled, and based on various sources from the public domain believed to be reliable to the best of our knowledge. These details have been disseminated for reference purposes only and IMS makes no warranties or representations whatsoever regarding the quality, content, suitability, completeness, adequacy, accuracy or timeliness of such information, placement report, and data. Readers are further advised to procure information from the official websites of the respective Universities/institutes/ Business Schools etc.