MBA Colleges in Bhubaneswar Accepting Low CAT Score (2026): Fees, Cutoffs & Placements
7 MBA and PGDM colleges in Bhubaneswar admit in the 40–92 CAT percentile band for 2026-28, 4 of them NIRF 2025 top-100. Fees run ₹5.5 L to ₹26 L and the best reported average is 18.3 LPA at XIMB. Lowest CAT floor in the city: 50 percentile.
Bhubaneswar punches well above its size, largely because XIMB, KIIT and IMI Bhubaneswar all recruit nationally rather than regionally. Consulting, BFSI and IT-services management roles dominate; the city is also the cheapest place in India to live during an MBA relative to the quality of school available.
All 7 MBA colleges in Bhubaneswar
| NIRF 2025 | College | CAT band | Total fee | Avg CTC | Also accepts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | XIMBXIM University | 90–93 %ile | ₹26 L | 18.3 LPA | XAT, GMAT |
| 66 | SOA BhubaneswarSiksha O Anusandhan IBCS | 50–70 %ile | ₹5.5 L | n/a | XAT, MAT, CMAT, ATMA |
| 68 | KSOM BhubaneswarKIIT School of Management | 70–80 %ile | ₹18 L | 9.5 LPA | XAT, CMAT, MAT, GMAT |
| 94 | IMI BhubaneswarInternational Management Institute Bhubaneswar | 70–80 %ile | ₹15 L | 12.7 LPA | XAT, CMAT, GMAT |
| — | IMIS BhubaneswarInstitute of Management and Information Science | 50–60 %ile | ₹5.5 L | 5.8 LPA | XAT, MAT, CMAT |
| — | XSRM BhubaneswarXavier School of Rural Management XIM University | 85–90 %ile | ₹17.4 L | n/a | XAT, GMAT |
| — | BGU BhubaneswarBirla Global University | 50–67 %ile | ₹12.8 L | n/a | MAT, XAT |
Sorted by NIRF 2025 rank, unranked institutes last.
What actually decides your seat in Bhubaneswar
The 70–80 percentile band is where this city earns its place on a low-CAT list: IMI Bhubaneswar (NIRF-94, AMBA-accredited, 100 per cent placement since inception) and KSOM (NIRF-68) both admit there. Below 70, IMIS at ₹5.5 lakh and SOA at ₹5.5 lakh are the budget options.
Across these 7 colleges the alternatives to CAT that come up most often are XAT (7), GMAT (4), CMAT (4) and MAT (4). Full routes are in our guide to MBA admission without CAT.
Fees vs placement in Bhubaneswar
| College | City | Total fee | Avg CTC | CTC ÷ fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMIS Bhubaneswar | Bhubaneswar | ₹5.5 L | 5.8 LPA | 1.05 |
| IMI Bhubaneswar | Bhubaneswar | ₹15 L | 12.7 LPA | 0.85 |
| XIMB | Bhubaneswar | ₹26 L | 18.3 LPA | 0.70 |
| KSOM Bhubaneswar | Bhubaneswar | ₹18 L | 9.5 LPA | 0.53 |
Cheapest MBA colleges in Bhubaneswar
| College | Total fee | CAT band | Avg CTC | Also accepts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMIS Bhubaneswar | ₹5.5 L | 50–60 %ile | 5.8 LPA | XAT, MAT, CMAT |
| SOA Bhubaneswar | ₹5.5 L | 50–70 %ile | n/a | XAT, MAT, CMAT, ATMA |
| BGU Bhubaneswar | ₹12.8 L | 50–67 %ile | n/a | MAT, XAT |
| IMI Bhubaneswar | ₹15 L | 70–80 %ile | 12.7 LPA | XAT, CMAT, GMAT |
| XSRM Bhubaneswar | ₹17.4 L | 85–90 %ile | n/a | XAT, GMAT |
| KSOM Bhubaneswar | ₹18 L | 70–80 %ile | 9.5 LPA | XAT, CMAT, MAT, GMAT |
Frequently asked questions
Which MBA colleges in Bhubaneswar accept 50–60 percentile in CAT?
IMIS Bhubaneswar, SOA Bhubaneswar and BGU Bhubaneswar all admit at or below 60 percentile. The lowest floor in Bhubaneswar is 50 percentile.
What is the cheapest MBA in Bhubaneswar?
Institute of Management and Information Science at ₹5.5 L for the full two years, with 5.8 LPA reported average placement.
Is an MBA in Bhubaneswar worth the fee?
Use placement ÷ fee. The best ratio in Bhubaneswar is IMIS Bhubaneswar at 1.05 (5.8 LPA on ₹5.5 L). Anything above 0.9 is healthy for this tier; below 0.6 needs a very good reason.
Before you pay anything: check that the college is AICTE-approved and know the refund rules.
Sources & methodology
Cutoffs are the published shortlisting percentile where the institute publishes one, and otherwise the band in which it actually admits, taken from institute disclosures and the portals below. Fees are total two-year programme fees excluding hostel unless stated; placement figures are the latest institute-reported averages. Cross-checked against NIRF 2025 on 4 September 2026. Always confirm against the institute’s current admission brochure before paying any fee.