MBA ROI Index 2026: Placement-to-Fee Ratio for Colleges Accepting Low CAT Scores
Across the colleges in our directory that publish a placement figure, the strongest placement-to-fee ratio is DBE Delhi (Department of Business Economics University of Delhi) at 15.10, meaning its average placement is 15.10 times its total fee. A ratio above roughly 0.9 is healthy for this tier; below 0.6 needs a good reason — usually a brand or location premium.
Top 20 by placement-to-fee ratio
| College | City | CAT band | Total fee | Avg CTC | CTC ÷ fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DBE DelhiDepartment of Business Economics University of Delhi | New Delhi | 90–95 %ile | ₹1 L | 15.1 LPA | 15.10 |
| FMS MSU BarodaFaculty of Management Studies Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda | Vadodara | 40–55 %ile | ₹0.8 L | 7.3 LPA | 9.12 |
| BK SchoolB. K. School of Professional and Management Studies | Ahmedabad | 40–55 %ile | ₹0.8 L | 5.1 LPA | 6.37 |
| AMU AligarhAligarh Muslim University Department of Business Administration | Aligarh | 60–75 %ile | ₹1 L | 6 LPA | 6.00 |
| BBAU LucknowBabasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University | Lucknow | 50–65 %ile | ₹1 L | 5 LPA | 5.00 |
| IM BHUInstitute of Management Studies Banaras Hindu University | Varanasi | 85–92 %ile | ₹2.1 L | 10.1 LPA | 4.81 |
| UBS ChandigarhUniversity Business School Panjab University | Chandigarh | 80–90 %ile | ₹2.8 L | 12.4 LPA | 4.43 |
| MANIT BhopalMaulana Azad National Institute of Technology Bhopal | Bhopal | 80–90 %ile | ₹1.7 L | 7.5 LPA | 4.41 |
| DoMS Anna UniversityDepartment of Management Studies Anna University | Chennai | 40–55 %ile | ₹1.4 L | 6 LPA | 4.29 |
| University of LucknowUniversity of Lucknow | Lucknow | 50–65 %ile | ₹1.2 L | 5 LPA | 4.17 |
| SMS CUSATSchool of Management Studies CUSAT | Kochi | 70–85 %ile | ₹2.2 L | 8.6 LPA | 3.91 |
| CUSATCochin University of Science and Technology | Kochi | 70–85 %ile | ₹2.2 L | 8.6 LPA | 3.91 |
| MMMUT GorakhpurMadan Mohan Malaviya University of Technology | Gorakhpur | 50–65 %ile | ₹1.5 L | 5.5 LPA | 3.67 |
| PUMBADepartment of Management Sciences Savitribai Phule Pune University | Pune | 60–80 %ile | ₹3 L | 9.4 LPA | 3.13 |
| DoMS NIT TrichyDepartment of Management Studies NIT Tiruchirappalli | Tiruchirappalli | 80–90 %ile | ₹2.9 L | 8.7 LPA | 3.00 |
| NIT CalicutSchool of Management Studies NIT Calicut | Kozhikode | 75–85 %ile | ₹4.3 L | 11.5 LPA | 2.67 |
| MNIT JaipurDepartment of Management Studies MNIT Jaipur | Jaipur | 75–85 %ile | ₹3.3 L | 8.3 LPA | 2.52 |
| DIEMSDeogiri Institute of Engineering and Management Studies | Aurangabad | 40–50 %ile | ₹1.6 L | 4 LPA | 2.50 |
| InvertisInvertis University | Bareilly | 40–55 %ile | ₹3 L | 7.3 LPA | 2.43 |
| IIT ISM DhanbadIndian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad | Dhanbad | 80–90 %ile | ₹4.6 L | 10.5 LPA | 2.28 |
Ratio = average placement (LPA) divided by total two-year fee (Rs lakh). Highest first.
How to use this ratio
- Above 0.9: strong value for this tier — the placement return clears the fee comfortably.
- 0.6–0.9: reasonable, especially if the college offers something the ratio doesn’t capture — city, brand, or a specialisation you want.
- Below 0.6: ask why. It can be a legitimate premium (metro city, strong brand) or a sign the fee is out of line with outcomes.
- “n/a”: the institute has not published a placement figure in our data — treat that as unknown, not as zero, and ask the institute directly.
Combine this with cutoff and location: see the lowest-fee colleges, browse by city, state or rank, or check whether a college is AICTE approved before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
Which MBA college has the best placement-to-fee ratio?
In our directory, DBE Delhi (Department of Business Economics University of Delhi) at 15.10, followed by FMS MSU Baroda at 9.12 and BK School at 6.37.
Is a low-fee MBA college worth it?
Judge by the ratio, not the fee alone. Several low-fee colleges in our directory post strong ratios because their placement figure is high relative to a small fee.
Does a high ratio mean the college is better overall?
It means better return on the fee specifically. It doesn’t capture brand, location or your personal fit — use it alongside those factors, not instead of them.
Rankings and value rarely line up. Of the schools in IIRF’s 2026 lists, only two in our directory admit in the 50–65 band; see which IIRF-ranked colleges you can reach.
For the same data grouped by percentile band and by fee, read is an MBA worth it at a low CAT percentile.
Sources & methodology
Fees are total two-year programme fees excluding hostel, as listed in this site’s college directory (data verified 4 September 2026). Add hostel, mess and exam costs before comparing, and confirm the current fee in the institute’s admission brochure before you pay anything.