MBA Colleges for 30,000 Rank in CAT 2026: What a 88.4 Percentile Actually Gets You
A 30,000 rank in CAT 2025 works out to roughly 88.4 percentile against the 2.58 lakh candidates who appeared. That clears the published floor at 182 of the 197 colleges in this directory, including 70 NIRF 2025 top-100 institutes — the best being Amrita Coimbatore at rank 26.
Rank is not what colleges shortlist on — percentile is. So the first job is the conversion: applying the official CAT formula to CAT 2025’s candidate count puts a 30,000 rank at about 88.4 percentile. Everything below follows from that number.
Best NIRF-ranked colleges you can target at 30,000 rank
70 NIRF 2025 top-100 institutes publish a floor at or below 88.4 percentile. These carry the most brand weight of anything reachable at this rank.
| NIRF 2025 | College | City | State | CAT band | Total fee | Avg CTC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Amrita CoimbatoreAmrita School of Business Coimbatore | Coimbatore | Tamil Nadu | 50–65 %ile | ₹12.9 L | 8.4 LPA |
| 28 | Jamia Millia IslamiaCentre for Management Studies Jamia Millia Islamia | New Delhi | Delhi | 65–80 %ile | ₹0.5 L | n/a |
| 29 | IIM VisakhapatnamIndian Institute of Management Visakhapatnam | Visakhapatnam | Andhra Pradesh | 82–92 %ile | ₹23.6 L | 15.7 LPA |
| 30 | IMT GhaziabadInstitute of Management Technology Ghaziabad | Ghaziabad | Uttar Pradesh | 88–94 %ile | ₹23 L | 16.3 LPA |
| 32 | Chandigarh UniversityUniversity Institute of Management Chandigarh University | Mohali | Punjab | 50–65 %ile | ₹5.7 L | 5.5 LPA |
| 33 | MICAMICA | Ahmedabad | Gujarat | 80–90 %ile | ₹28 L | 19.2 LPA |
| 36 | UPES DehradunUPES School of Business | Dehradun | Uttarakhand | 60–75 %ile | ₹20.3 L | 8.3 LPA |
| 37 | GLIM ChennaiGreat Lakes Institute of Management Chennai | Chennai | Tamil Nadu | 80–90 %ile | ₹22.5 L | 15 LPA |
| 39 | TAPMIT A Pai Management Institute | Manipal | Karnataka | 85–92 %ile | ₹20.1 L | 13.1 LPA |
| 40 | IMI DelhiInternational Management Institute Delhi | New Delhi | Delhi | 80–90 %ile | ₹23.5 L | 17.9 LPA |
| 41 | Jaipuria NoidaJaipuria Institute of Management Noida | Noida | Uttar Pradesh | 60–75 %ile | ₹15.8 L | 11.3 LPA |
| 42 | IMI KolkataInternational Management Institute Kolkata | Kolkata | West Bengal | 75–85 %ile | ₹15 L | 13.1 LPA |
| 43 | GIM GoaGoa Institute of Management | Sanquelim | Goa | 85–92 %ile | ₹21.5 L | 15.1 LPA |
| 44 | LPULovely Professional University | Phagwara | Punjab | 60–75 %ile | ₹5.8 L | 6 LPA |
| 46 | IBS HyderabadICFAI Business School Hyderabad | Hyderabad | Telangana | 70–85 %ile | ₹17 L | 9.8 LPA |
| 46 | LM ThaparL. M. Thapar School of Management | Dera Bassi | Punjab | 50–65 %ile | ₹6 L | 8.2 LPA |
| 48 | IIT ISM DhanbadIndian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad | Dhanbad | Jharkhand | 80–90 %ile | ₹4.6 L | 10.5 LPA |
| 49 | Amity NoidaAmity Business School Noida | Noida | Uttar Pradesh | 80–88 %ile | ₹15.5 L | 7.4 LPA |
NIRF 2025 top-100 institutes whose published CAT floor is at or below 88.4 percentile.
All colleges admitting around 88 percentile
| NIRF 2025 | College | City | State | CAT band | Total fee | Avg CTC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | VGSoM IIT KharagpurVinod Gupta School of Management IIT Kharagpur | Kharagpur | West Bengal | 90–94 %ile | ₹13 L | 22.8 LPA |
| 29 | IIM VisakhapatnamIndian Institute of Management Visakhapatnam | Visakhapatnam | Andhra Pradesh | 82–92 %ile | ₹23.6 L | 15.7 LPA |
| 30 | IMT GhaziabadInstitute of Management Technology Ghaziabad | Ghaziabad | Uttar Pradesh | 88–94 %ile | ₹23 L | 16.3 LPA |
| 31 | IIM Bodh GayaIndian Institute of Management Bodh Gaya | Bodh Gaya | Bihar | 91–94 %ile | ₹9.6 L | 13.1 LPA |
| 33 | MICAMICA | Ahmedabad | Gujarat | 80–90 %ile | ₹28 L | 19.2 LPA |
| 34 | IIM SambalpurIndian Institute of Management Sambalpur | Sambalpur | Odisha | 90–94 %ile | ₹21 L | 15.7 LPA |
| 35 | IIM JammuIndian Institute of Management Jammu | Jammu | Jammu and Kashmir | 89–92 %ile | ₹23.3 L | 15.5 LPA |
| 37 | GLIM ChennaiGreat Lakes Institute of Management Chennai | Chennai | Tamil Nadu | 80–90 %ile | ₹22.5 L | 15 LPA |
| 39 | TAPMIT A Pai Management Institute | Manipal | Karnataka | 85–92 %ile | ₹20.1 L | 13.1 LPA |
| 40 | IMI DelhiInternational Management Institute Delhi | New Delhi | Delhi | 80–90 %ile | ₹23.5 L | 17.9 LPA |
| 42 | IMI KolkataInternational Management Institute Kolkata | Kolkata | West Bengal | 75–85 %ile | ₹15 L | 13.1 LPA |
| 43 | GIM GoaGoa Institute of Management | Sanquelim | Goa | 85–92 %ile | ₹21.5 L | 15.1 LPA |
| 45 | XIMBXIM University | Bhubaneswar | Odisha | 90–93 %ile | ₹26 L | 18.3 LPA |
| 46 | IBS HyderabadICFAI Business School Hyderabad | Hyderabad | Telangana | 70–85 %ile | ₹17 L | 9.8 LPA |
| 48 | IIT ISM DhanbadIndian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad | Dhanbad | Jharkhand | 80–90 %ile | ₹4.6 L | 10.5 LPA |
| 49 | Amity NoidaAmity Business School Noida | Noida | Uttar Pradesh | 80–88 %ile | ₹15.5 L | 7.4 LPA |
| 50 | GLIM GurgaonGreat Lakes Institute of Management Gurgaon | Gurugram | Haryana | 75–85 %ile | ₹13.4 L | 11.8 LPA |
| 51 | IIM SirmaurIndian Institute of Management Sirmaur | Sirmaur | Himachal Pradesh | 88–92 %ile | ₹17 L | 16.5 LPA |
| 54 | IRMAInstitute of Rural Management Anand | Anand | Gujarat | 85–92 %ile | ₹16.4 L | 15.5 LPA |
| 55 | LIBALoyola Institute of Business Administration | Chennai | Tamil Nadu | 80–88 %ile | ₹19.1 L | 11.2 LPA |
| 57 | DoMS NIT TrichyDepartment of Management Studies NIT Tiruchirappalli | Tiruchirappalli | Tamil Nadu | 80–90 %ile | ₹2.9 L | 8.7 LPA |
| 59 | FORE DelhiFORE School of Management | New Delhi | Delhi | 85–92 %ile | ₹23.2 L | 16.4 LPA |
| 60 | IM BHUInstitute of Management Studies Banaras Hindu University | Varanasi | Uttar Pradesh | 85–92 %ile | ₹2.1 L | 10.1 LPA |
| 61 | BIMTECHBirla Institute of Management Technology | Greater Noida | Uttar Pradesh | 75–85 %ile | ₹14 L | 10.1 LPA |
| 62 | MNIT JaipurDepartment of Management Studies MNIT Jaipur | Jaipur | Rajasthan | 75–85 %ile | ₹3.3 L | 8.3 LPA |
| 64 | IIM AmritsarIndian Institute of Management Amritsar | Amritsar | Punjab | 90–95 %ile | ₹17.5 L | 14 LPA |
| 65 | KJSIMK J Somaiya Institute of Management | Mumbai | Maharashtra | 84–92 %ile | ₹23.9 L | 13.1 LPA |
| 72 | IMT HyderabadInstitute of Management Technology Hyderabad | Hyderabad | Telangana | 85–92 %ile | ₹16 L | 12.4 LPA |
| 82 | SMS CUSATSchool of Management Studies CUSAT | Kochi | Kerala | 70–85 %ile | ₹2.2 L | 8.6 LPA |
| 82 | CUSATCochin University of Science and Technology | Kochi | Kerala | 70–85 %ile | ₹2.2 L | 8.6 LPA |
| 85 | NIT CalicutSchool of Management Studies NIT Calicut | Kozhikode | Kerala | 75–85 %ile | ₹4.3 L | 11.5 LPA |
| 90 | JIMS RohiniJagan Institute of Management Studies Rohini | New Delhi | Delhi | 75–85 %ile | ₹10.8 L | 10 LPA |
| 92 | UBS ChandigarhUniversity Business School Panjab University | Chandigarh | Chandigarh | 80–90 %ile | ₹2.8 L | 12.4 LPA |
| 93 | ABV-IIITM GwaliorABV-Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management Gwalior | Gwalior | Madhya Pradesh | 80–90 %ile | ₹5.3 L | n/a |
| 95 | MANAGE HyderabadNational Institute of Agricultural Extension Management | Hyderabad | Telangana | 75–90 %ile | ₹9.8 L | 12.4 LPA |
| 96 | BIM TrichyBharathidasan Institute of Management | Tiruchirappalli | Tamil Nadu | 85–92 %ile | ₹17.6 L | 10 LPA |
| 98 | IIT JodhpurSchool of Management and Entrepreneurship IIT Jodhpur | Jodhpur | Rajasthan | 80–90 %ile | ₹8 L | 13 LPA |
| 99 | IMT NagpurInstitute of Management Technology Nagpur | Nagpur | Maharashtra | 75–85 %ile | ₹13.5 L | 11 LPA |
| 101–125 | LBSIM DelhiLal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management | New Delhi | Delhi | 75–85 %ile | ₹17.3 L | 12.3 LPA |
| 101–125 | SMS UoHSchool of Management Studies University of Hyderabad | Hyderabad | Telangana | 80–90 %ile | ₹2.3 L | n/a |
Colleges whose admitted-student band overlaps 82–91 percentile. Sorted by NIRF 2025 rank, unranked last.
Cheapest options at 30,000 rank
Rank does not have to mean paying private-school money. These are the lowest-fee colleges whose floor your 88.4 percentile clears.
| College | City | Total fee | Avg CTC | CAT band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamia Millia Islamia | New Delhi, Delhi | ₹0.5 L | n/a | 65–80 %ile |
| BK School | Ahmedabad, Gujarat | ₹0.8 L | 5.1 LPA | 40–55 %ile |
| FMS MSU Baroda | Vadodara, Gujarat | ₹0.8 L | 7.3 LPA | 40–55 %ile |
| AMU Aligarh | Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh | ₹1 L | 6 LPA | 60–75 %ile |
| BBAU Lucknow | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh | ₹1 L | 5 LPA | 50–65 %ile |
What to do next with this rank
This is the band where government MBAs become the smart play — IIT ISM Dhanbad, IIT Jodhpur, MNIT Jaipur, IIFM Bhopal and DoMS NIT Trichy all sit here at a fraction of private-school fees. Apply to those first.
- Percentile check: confirm your actual percentile on the scorecard — 88.4 is a computed estimate from rank, and sectional percentiles matter separately.
- Alternate exams: XAT (January), CMAT (January) and MAT (four windows) all feed the same colleges; see MBA admission without CAT.
- State counselling: if you are domiciled in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Telangana or Andhra Pradesh, your state CET is usually the cheaper door — the state pages explain each one.
- Compare on ROI, not brand: divide average placement by total fee before accepting any seat.
Frequently asked questions
Is 30,000 a good rank in CAT?
It is about 88.4 percentile. That is a strong rank that opens the newer IIMs and IIT MBAs.
Which colleges can I get with 30,000 rank in CAT?
Amrita Coimbatore, Jamia Millia Islamia, IIM Visakhapatnam, IMT Ghaziabad and Chandigarh University are the highest-ranked institutes whose floor you clear. In total 182 colleges on this site admit at or below 88.4 percentile.
Can I get an IIM with 30,000 rank in CAT?
Not in the General category. For CAT 2025, CAP 2026 shortlisted General candidates at 95 percentile, OBC/EWS at 81, SC at 66 and ST/PwD at 42 — so this rank can convert to an IIM call in a reserved category even though it will not in General.
Should I retake CAT with a 30,000 rank?
Retake only if you can realistically add 10+ percentile points. Otherwise take a seat at one of the 70 NIRF-ranked colleges you already clear and pair it with a strong CMAT score for scholarship negotiation.
Your percentile depends on how many candidates appear. See CAT 2026 registrations and why the appeared count matters, and if budget is a constraint, the lowest-fee MBA colleges accepting CAT.
How the percentile for this rank is worked out. Percentile = ((N − rank) ÷ N) × 100, with N = 2.58 lakh, the number who appeared in CAT 2025 (Cracku). The 2026 N isn’t known until after the 29 November exam; our calculator shows this rank at 2025’s N and at a labelled 2026 projection.
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.