- Three Chennai programmes have verified fee and placement data on our site: IIT Madras DoMS (Rs 12.23 lakh), Great Lakes PGPM (Rs 19.25 lakh, one year) and LIBA (Rs 18.9 lakh).
- IIT Madras DoMS has the lowest fee and the highest average package of the three (Rs 18.3 lakh, 2024-26 batch), and also the highest cutoff estimate, about 95 percentile.
- Great Lakes asks for at least 2 years of full-time work experience and sets no minimum CAT, GMAT, XAT or NMAT score.
- LIBA selects on CAT or XAT, then GD and PI; its 2024-26 average package was Rs 11.32 lakh.
- There is no single Chennai average package, so compare each college's own report and its batch year.
The MBA colleges in Chennai that we hold verified fee, package and exam details for are IIT Madras DoMS, Great Lakes (PGPM) and LIBA, and each suits a different kind of candidate. One is a low-fee IIT programme with a high cutoff, one is a one-year programme for people with work experience, and one is a Jesuit business school that takes CAT or XAT scores.
General lists pad Chennai with dozens of colleges and disagree on basics such as Great Lakes' fee. This guide sticks to the programmes we can trace, puts a batch year next to every number, and says what it leaves out. Figures were checked on 6 Nov 2026.
What does 'MBA colleges in Chennai' cover in this guide?
Three Chennai programmes sit in our verified data: IIT Madras DoMS, Great Lakes Chennai and LIBA. We add IIM Tiruchirappalli because it is the nearest IIM in Tamil Nadu, although it is not in Chennai itself.
In the NIRF 2025 Management list, IIT Madras is ranked 13, IIM Tiruchirappalli 16, Great Lakes (Chennai) 37 and LIBA 55. The same list also carries SRM (56), Saveetha (63) and Anna University (88), all in Chennai. We do not hold verified fee or package data for those three, so this guide does not compare them.
IIT Madras DoMS: what does it cost, pay and ask for?
The two-year MBA at the Department of Management Studies costs Rs 12.23 lakh in total (2026-28 batch). The average package was Rs 18.3 lakh and the median Rs 18 lakh for the 2024-26 batch, with a highest of Rs 40 lakh. Consulting took the largest share of placements, 30%.
Our cutoff estimate is about 95 percentile in CAT for a 50% chance of an interview call (General category, average profile). That is a modelled estimate, not an official cutoff.
In the 2026-28 cycle, DoMS shortlisted on a CAT-based composite score, then held a personal interview and a written assessment. The final score gave 50% to the composite, 40% to the interview and 10% to the written test, and work experience carried up to 10% of the composite. IIT graduates with a CGPA of 8.0 or above were exempt from CAT. That cycle drew 4,871 applications for a sanctioned intake of 106 seats, and 74 candidates enrolled.
Great Lakes PGPM: a one-year MBA for people with work experience
The PGPM is a one-year full-time programme, accredited by AACSB and AMBA. The class of 2026 reported an average package of Rs 18.1 lakh and a median of Rs 16 lakh, with a highest domestic package of Rs 43 lakh. Tech consulting accounted for 32% of placements and business consulting for 14%.
The key eligibility rule is work experience: at least 2 years of full-time experience as of 30 April 2027, plus 50% across Class 10, Class 12 and graduation. Great Lakes accepts GMAT, CAT, XAT or NMAT and sets no minimum score in any of them. The process is an application with one essay, screening, a written test and a personal interview. The first-cycle deadline for 2027-28 is 26 Nov 2026 and the application fee is Rs 2,200.
LIBA: fee, package and exam route
LIBA's full-time PGDM runs for two years and costs Rs 18.9 lakh (2026-28 batch). For 2024-26, LIBA reports an average package of Rs 11.32 lakh, a median of Rs 12 lakh, a highest of Rs 21 lakh and 100% placement. The PGDM is recognised by the AIU as equivalent to an MBA.
Candidates are shortlisted on CAT or XAT scores alone, then called for a group discussion and personal interview. LIBA asks for at least 60% in Class 10, Class 12 and graduation. Its page lists CAT 2026 and XAT 2027 for the 2027-29 batch, though parts of its process text still carry older exam names, so confirm before applying. Our cutoff estimate is about 80 percentile.
IIM Tiruchirappalli and other Tamil Nadu options
IIM Tiruchirappalli's PGPM costs Rs 19.5 lakh (2026-28 batch) and is CAT-only. Our table shows a median package of Rs 16.75 lakh for 2025. For the 2026-28 cycle it published a minimum overall CAT percentile of 95.25 for General candidates, with 75 in each section, to be shortlisted for the interview. Treat that as the last cycle's number, since cutoffs move every year.
TANCET, the Tamil Nadu state test, is another route into some colleges in the state. We hold no verified TANCET data, so check each college's own page rather than relying on a cutoff from anywhere else.
Which exams open the Chennai colleges?
- CAT 2026 is on 29 Nov 2026, with results expected in the first week of January 2027. LIBA, Great Lakes and IIM Tiruchirappalli accept CAT, and IIT Madras used CAT in its last cycle.
- XAT 2027 is on 3 Jan 2027 and registration closes on 6 Dec 2026. LIBA and Great Lakes accept XAT.
- GMAT Focus has no fixed date. Great Lakes accepts GMAT, and IIT Madras takes GMAT (minimum 640) from NRI and foreign applicants.
- NMAT registration for the 2026 window closed on 10 Oct 2026, with test delivery running to 20 Dec 2026, so it helps only if you are already registered.
If you want to know where you stand before CAT, take the free CAT Compass mock. To see how a percentile maps to these colleges, use the MBA Predictor. If you have no CAT score at all, read about the MBA without CAT routes.
Fee versus package side by side, with batch years
| Programme | Length | Total fee (lakh, batch) | Average / median (lakh, batch) | CAT cutoff estimate | Fee divided by average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIT Madras DoMS | 2 years | 12.23 (2026-28) | 18.3 / 18 (2024-26) | about 95 | 0.67 |
| Great Lakes PGPM | 1 year | 19.25 (2027-28) | 18.1 / 16 (2026) | about 72, see note | 1.06 |
| LIBA PGDM | 2 years | 18.9 (2026-28) | 11.32 / 12 (2024-26) | about 80 | 1.67 |
| IIM Tiruchirappalli | 2 years | 19.5 (2026-28) | 19.27 / 16.75 (2025) | about 96 | 1.01 |
The last column is the fee divided by the average package, so 1.0 means the fee equals one year of the average package. It ignores tax, hostel, interest and the salary you give up. Great Lakes is a one-year programme, so you forgo less salary, but it needs 2 years of work first. Its college sets no CAT cutoff, so the 72 here is only our model's estimate. All cutoff figures are estimates, so run your own numbers in the predictor.
How should you choose between them?
- Less than 2 years of work experience: Great Lakes is out, so the choice is IIT Madras DoMS, LIBA or an IIM.
- CAT percentile around 95 or higher: DoMS gives the lowest fee and the strongest verified package, so apply to it alongside the IIMs.
- CAT or XAT percentile in the 80s: LIBA is the closest match among the three, though a fee of Rs 18.9 lakh against an average of Rs 11.32 lakh deserves a hard look.
- 2 or more years of experience and a wish for a one-year format: Great Lakes, with the full Rs 23.5 lakh in mind if you want a single AC room.
It depends on your percentile, your work experience and how much debt you are comfortable with. Colleges also change fees and processes each year, so confirm on each official page before you apply.