The Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) is a national-level entrance examination organized by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission to AICTE-approved MBA/PGDM courses. CMAT is accepted by 1,000+ B-schools in India and is of moderate difficulty level, which makes it suitable for candidates aiming for Tier-1 and Tier-2 colleges with a good Return on Investment (ROI).
This guide offers an exhaustive list of best CMAT-accepting colleges, their expected cutoffs, fees, placement packages, specializations, and admission process for 2026.
WHY TO CHOOSE CMAT-ACCEPTING COLLEGES?
- Accepted by reputed government and private institutions
- Lower competition compared to CAT/XAT
- Excellent ROI with fees as low as ₹1–5 lakhs
- Good placement opportunities in marketing, analytics, BFSI, and more
- Covers colleges like JBIMS, SIMSREE, K J Somaiya (via CAP), GIM, etc.
TOP CMAT COLLEGES LIST WITH CUTOFF 2026
| College Name | CMAT Cutoff (Percentile) | Fees | Average Package | Top Recruiters |
| JBIMS, Mumbai | 99.9+ | ₹6 lakh | ₹27.63 LPA | McKinsey, BCG, JPMorgan, TAS |
| Sydenham (SIMSREE), Mumbai | 99.5+ | ₹1.5 lakh | ₹12.2 LPA | HUL, Asian Paints, Deloitte |
| Goa Institute of Management (GIM), Goa | 95–98 | ₹18.31 lakh | ₹14.75 LPA | Infosys, EY, PwC, Nestlé |
| Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai | 90–95 | ₹12.8 lakh | ₹14.5 LPA | Accenture, Cognizant, Dell |
| K J Somaiya Institute of Management (CAP)* | 95–98 | ₹18.78 lakh | ₹12.2 LPA | HSBC, Amazon, Deloitte |
| Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS) | 80–85 | ₹8.5 lakh | ₹7.5 LPA | TCS, ICICI, Tech Mahindra |
| PUMBA (Department of Management Sciences, Pune) | 95+ | ₹1.3 lakh | ₹6.5 LPA | HDFC, ICICI, ZS Associates |
| BIMTECH, Greater Noida | 85–90 | ₹13 lakh | ₹9 LPA | Wipro, Capgemini, KPMG |
| Christ University, Bengaluru | 85–90 | ₹8.05 lakh | ₹7.8 LPA | EY, TCS, Infosys |
| IFMR GSB, Krea University | 90–92 | ₹14.56 lakh | ₹13.5 LPA | HSBC, Barclays, CRISIL |
MBA SPECIALIZATIONS OFFERED BY CMAT COLLEGES
| Specialization | Popular Colleges Offering |
| Marketing | JBIMS, GIM, SIMSREE, K J Somaiya |
| Finance | JBIMS, IFMR, XISS, Great Lakes |
| Business Analytics | GIM, Great Lakes, IFMR, BIMTECH |
| HR Management | XISS, SIMSREE, BIMTECH |
| Operations & Supply Chain | PUMBA, GIM, Christ University |
| Rural Management | XISS, BIMTECH (RM), KIIT |
CMAT 2026 EXAM PATTERN
| Section | No. of Questions | Marks |
| Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation | 20 | 80 |
| Logical Reasoning | 20 | 80 |
| Language Comprehension | 20 | 80 |
| General Awareness | 20 | 80 |
| Innovation & Entrepreneurship | 20 | 80 |
| Total | 100 | 400 |
AVERAGE FEES AT TOP CMAT COLLEGES
| College | Total Fees (Approx.) |
| JBIMS | ₹6 lakh |
| SIMSREE | ₹1.5 lakh |
| GIM | ₹18.31 lakh |
| Great Lakes | ₹12.8 lakh |
| K J Somaiya | ₹18.78 lakh |
| PUMBA | ₹1.3 lakh |
| BIMTECH | ₹13 lakh |
AVERAGE SALARY PACKAGE TRENDS
| College | Average Package | Highest Package |
| JBIMS | ₹27.63 LPA | ₹42 LPA |
| SIMSREE | ₹12.2 LPA | ₹22 LPA |
| GIM | ₹14.75 LPA | ₹30.17 LPA |
| Great Lakes | ₹14.5 LPA | ₹34 LPA |
| IFMR | ₹13.5 LPA | ₹22 LPA |
| PUMBA | ₹6.5 LPA | ₹12.5 LPA |
TOP RECRUITERS AT CMAT COLLEGES
| Recruiter | Roles Offered |
| Deloitte | Analyst, Consultant |
| Amazon | Operations Manager |
| EY | Risk Analyst, Associate Consultant |
| McKinsey | Research Analyst |
| ICICI Bank | Relationship Manager, Product Officer |
| Infosys | Systems Engineer, Analyst |
POPULAR ALTERNATIVE EXAMS TO CMAT
| Exam | Accepted At |
| CAT | IIMs, MDI, FMS, IITs |
| XAT | XLRI, IMT, TAPMI, XIMB |
| MAT | Christ, JIMS, BIMM, ISBM |
| NMAT | NMIMS, K J Somaiya, SDA Bocconi |
| SNAP | Symbiosis Group Institutes |
FAQs
Q1. What is a good CMAT score for JBIMS or SIMSREE?
A: For JBIMS, a percentile of 99.9+ is usually required; for SIMSREE, 99.5+ is safe.
Q2. Do CMAT colleges consider sectional cutoffs?
A: Most colleges consider overall score; a few may set minimum sectional criteria.
Q3. Can I apply to multiple colleges with one CMAT score?
A: Yes, CMAT score can be used to apply to multiple institutions individually.
Q4. Are there reservations in CMAT colleges?
A: Yes, state government colleges like JBIMS & SIMSREE follow Maharashtra CET Cell reservation policies.
Q5. Which CMAT colleges have the best ROI?
A: SIMSREE, JBIMS, PUMBA, XISS are known for low fees and solid placement packages.
Q6. Are scholarships available for CMAT-based MBA admissions?
A: Many colleges like BIMTECH, IFMR, and GIM offer merit-based and need-based scholarships.
CONCLUSION
The CMAT 2025 test provides aspirants with a good chance of getting into some of India’s top and ROI-trending management courses. Aided by careful preparation, strategic college choice, and targeted applications, candidates can secure good placements from CMAT-taken colleges at a much lower investment.
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