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    Which IIM Pays the Best? It's Not IIM Ahmedabad or IIM Bangalore | IIM BLACKI Salary Analysis

    Which IIM Pays the Best? It's Not IIM Ahmedabad or IIM Bangalore | IIM BLACKI Salary Analysis

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    Suvam MaitiUpdated on 16 Jul 2026, 01:15 AM IST

    Every placement season, the IIM placement news dominate headlines with Rs. 1 crore-plus international offers and average salary packages Rs. 25 to 35-plus lakh. But these numbers represent only a small section of the batch and the more meaningful indicator is the median salary—the IIM salary earned by the students in the middle of the class. An analysis of the NIRF placement data of BLACKI IIMs (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Indore, Lucknow and Kozhikode) highlights that the median salary has grown by just 3.73% between 2021–23 and 2023–25 batches, even as 1 crore-plus offers continued to make headlines. Among the BLACKI IIMs IIM Calcutta median salary is the highest (Rs 35 LPA) while IIM Indore has the lowest median salary of Rs 27.0 LPA. Interestingly, IIM Indore had the highest median salary growth at 9.31%, while IIM Bangalore was the only institute among BLACKI with the median salary decline by 1.18%. Here is the breakdown of IIM BLACKI median salaries and how they have changed over the years.
    Latest Read: These 6 baby IIMS Median Salary Decreased more than 10% | These MBA Colleges Has 0% placement

    This Story also Contains

    1. IIM Salary : BLACKI IIM Median Salaries Increased by Only 3.73% Over Three Placement Seasons
    2. IIM Salary : Why Median Salary Matters More Than Average or Highest Salary
    3. IIM Indore beats IIM ABC in Median Salary Growth
    4. IIM Ahmedabad CTC: 6.45% Growth in IIM A Median CTC
    5. IIM Calcutta Median Salary over the years
    6. IIM Bangalore Average and Median Salary Declines
    7. IIM Kozhikode Median CTC remain steady
    8. IIM Lucknow CTC Breakdown
    Which IIM Pays the Best? It's Not IIM Ahmedabad or IIM Bangalore | IIM BLACKI Salary Analysis
    Which IIM Pays the Best? It's Not IIM Ahmedabad or IIM Bangalore

    IIM Salary : BLACKI IIM Median Salaries Increased by Only 3.73% Over Three Placement Seasons

    Only a handful of IIM MBA students grab those 1 Cr+ packages across the IIMs. An analysis of median salaries across the six IIM BLACKI institutes highlights overall growth in the median salary between 2021-23 to 2023-25. While the average IIM BLACKI median salary stands at Rs. 31.01 LPA, the BLACKI IIM Median salary growth is 3.73% in the said year.

    Out of the 6 IIMs which come under the IIM BLACKI, apart from IIM Bangalore whose median salary went down by 1.18%, all other IIMs have seen upwards trends in IIM Median salary. Among the BLACKI IIMs, while IIM Calcutta median salary is the highest Rs 35.0 LPA, IIM Indore witnessed the year on year median salary growth of 9.31%. The details are as follows -

    IIM Median Salary

    2023-25 (Rs.)

    2022-24 (Rs.)

    2021-23 (Rs.)

    Increased (%)

    IIM Ahmedabad Median CTC

    33

    31

    31

    + 6.45%

    IIM Bangalore Median CTC

    32.61

    32.5

    33

    -1.18%

    IIM Calcutta Median CTC

    35

    30

    33.67

    +3.95%

    IIM Lucknow Median CTC

    31

    30

    30

    +3.33%

    IIM Indore Median CTC

    27

    25.5

    24.7

    +9.31%

    IIM Kozhikdoe Median CTC

    27.5

    27

    27

    +1.85%

    IIM BLACKI Average Median CTC

    31.01

    29.33

    29.895

    +3.73%

    * Figures in LPA

    Read More: IIM Placement Comparison | IIM Admission Chaos | IIM Kozhikode Admission 2026: 300+ Waitlisted Candidate Gets Offer, Reddit Reacts

    IIM Salary : Why Median Salary Matters More Than Average or Highest Salary

    While discussing the salary potential of an IIM, the IIM median salary is the more meaningful metric compared to IIM average salary or highest salary. Crore-plus offers make headlines while Median salaries tell the real story.

    While IIM average salary is calculated by dividing the total of students to the total earned salary, IIM Median salary is the salary that is earned by the students positioned in the middle of the batch when all the salaries are arranged from highest to lowest.

    This makes it a better reflection of what an average MBA aspirant can realistically expect as If a college reports a median salary of Rs. 25 LPA, it means:

    • 50% of students received more than Rs. 25 LPA

    • 50% received less than Rs.25 LPA

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    While the IIM average salary can be on the higher end because of some exceptionally high offers that might not highlight the actual picture of the entire batch.

    Latest Read : IIM Calcutta vs IIM Ahmedabad vs IIM Bangalore | MDI Gurgaon vs IIM BLACKI

    IIM Indore beats IIM ABC in Median Salary Growth

    In the last three years, among all BLACKI IIMs, IIM Indore median CTC increase has been the highest. Compared to 2021-23, IIM Indore median salary increased 9.31% to Rs 27 LPA. On the other hand both IIM Indore average CTC and IIM Indore Highest salary has witnessed decline. From the table below one can look into the year on year comparison about the IIM Indore placement statistics.

    IIM Indore Placement Data

    2023-25 (Rs.)

    2022-24 (Rs.)

    2021-23 (Rs.)

    IIM Indore Median CTC

    27

    25.5

    24.7

    IIM Indore Average CTC

    29.57

    25.68

    30.21

    IIM Indore Highest CTC

    70

    100

    114

    * Figures in LPA

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    IIM Ahmedabad CTC: 6.45% Growth in IIM A Median CTC

    Now if one looks at the year by year growth for the IIM Ahmedabad salary, it would be evident that though IIM Ahmedabad's highest salary did not increase in these three years, IIM Ahmedabad Median salary has increased by 6.45%, from Rs 31.0 LPA to Rs 33.3 LPA. Similarly IIM Ahmedabad average salary also has increased from Rs. 34.45 LPA to 35.22 LPA as per their placement reports.

    IIM Ahmedabad Placement Data

    2023-25 (Rs.)

    2022-24 (Rs.)

    2021-23 (Rs.)

    IIM Ahmedabad Median CTC

    33

    31

    31

    IIM Ahmedabad Average CTC

    35.22

    33.23

    34.45

    MA

    110

    56

    146

    * All Figures in LPA

    Read More: IIM Ahmedabad records 100% SIP in 2026 | CAT 2025 Cutoff Trends for IIM BLACKI

    IIM Calcutta Median Salary over the years

    IIM Calcutta Placement Data

    2023-25 (Rs.)

    2022-24 (Rs.)

    2021-23 (Rs.)

    IIM Calcutta Median CTC

    35

    30

    33.67

    IIM Calcutta Average CTC

    34.23

    -

    -

    IIM Calcutta Highest CTC

    145

    -

    -

    * Figures in LPA

    Latest Read: IIM Caclutta Highest CTC 145 LPA; Average Stands on Rs 36 LPA

    IIM Bangalore Average and Median Salary Declines

    Among the IIM BLACKI IIM Bangalore not only saw the decline in the IIM Bangalore average CTC but the only BLACKI IIM to have seen the 1.18% decline in the IIM Median salary. From Rs. 33 LPA in 2021-23 to Rs. 32.61 in 2023-25 though not huge in terms of salary, still it is a decline.

    IIM Bangalore Placement Data

    2023-25 (Rs.)

    2022-24 (Rs.)

    2021-23 (Rs.)

    IIM Bangalore Median CTC

    32.61

    32.5

    33

    IIM Bangalore Average CTC

    34.88

    35.92

    35.31

    IIM Bangalore Highest CTC

    -

    -

    -

    * Figures in LPA

    IIM Kozhikode Median CTC remain steady

    In the three years IIM Kozhikode's highest salary has increased substantially from Rs 67.02 in 2021-23 to Rs 81.0 LPA, IIM Kozhikode median salary remained somewhat similar over that same period.

    IIM Kozhikode Placement Data

    2023-25 (Rs.)

    2022-24 (Rs.)

    2021-23 (Rs.)

    IIM Kozhikode Median CTC

    27.5

    27

    27

    IIM Kozhikode Average CTC

    28.18

    28.5

    31.02

    IIM Kozhikode Highest CTC

    81

    72.02

    67.02

    * Figures in LPA

    IIM Lucknow CTC Breakdown

    IIM Lucknow Placement Data

    2023-25 (Rs.)

    2022-24 (Rs.)

    2021-23 (Rs.)

    IIM Lucknow Median CTC

    31

    30

    30

    IIM Lucknow Average CTC

    32.3

    30

    32.3

    IIM Lucknow Highest CTC

    75

    65

    100

    * Figures in LPA

    Latest : IIM Lucknow Placement 2026 Announced: 1 Cr Highest Package, 33.2 LPA Average Salary, 580 Offers

    The BLACKIs continue to deliver overall strong placement outcomes but the median salaries have barely changed despite record placements salaries. The median salary offers a clear picture of what a typical fresh graduate earns after an MBA from top IIMs, making it a more reliable measure of the placement outcomes and ROI. Crore-plus offers will continue to make headlines every year but MBA aspirants must look beyond them to understand the placement picture more clearly and make informed decisions.

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