IIM vs FMS vs XLRI vs MDI: MBA ROI, Fees, Average Package Compared

What is MBA ROI?

Candidates looking for an MBA must know the concept of MBA ROI, as there are many management colleges across the country and the world with varying fees and offered packages. Students bear a hefty amount of loans to pursue an MBA from a good management college that offers lucrative career opportunities and an excellent package, but there’s no guarantee that colleges will give you the same return aligned with your investments. Today, fees for good MBA colleges start from Rs. 10 Lakhs and go beyond Rs. 30 Lakhs, but FMS Delhi remains the only MBA college with low fees and good placement. Therefore, it is essential to know the return on investment for the colleges you are considering for an MBA program.

IIM vs FMS vs XLRI vs MDI MBA Admission 2026

Candidates who are confused between choosing an IIM, FMS, XLRI, and MDI must first know the basic differences in their admission processes and requirements before calculating which is best. The table below highlights particulars related to the IIM, FMS, XLRI, and MDI MBA admission 2026 comparison.

IIM vs XLRI vs FMS vs MDI: Which one is better for MBA Aspirants

Indian Institute of Management, or IIMs, are reputable institutions of national importance with high placement rates and lucrative packages. However, all the IIMs do not have the same repute and popularity. For instance, top IIMs like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Calcutta have best-in-class faculty, infrastructure, and placement rates, while new or baby IIMs like IIM Shillong, IIM Rohtak, and IIM Ranchi are less recognised with lower cutoffs and placement rates.

Therefore, it is logical to find better options like XLRI, FMS, and MDI for MBA admission. XLRI is better than the new or baby IIMs in its brand value, placements, and campus infrastructure, but not better than the old IIMs, as they are way ahead of XLRI in terms of course diversity, opportunities, and learning.

FMS is a favourite for non-engineering students as it gives more weightage to the VARC section and shortlists based on composite score criteria, but it is hard to crack as a result of its low MBA fees and higher placement rates and packages. It can be a better choice over XLRI, IIMs, and MDI for sure.

MDI Gurgaon is a private college accepting both CAT and XAT exams for MBA admissions. According to the placement report 2024-2026, it recorded the highest package of Rs. 59 LPA. MDI, Gurgaon, can be a great option relative to IIMs, FMS, and XLRI in terms of MBA ROI.

IIM vs XLRI vs FMS vs MDI: NIRF Ranking 2025

As per the latest NIRF 2025 rankings, MDI, Gurgaon, has a rank of 9th in the management category, while XLRI, Jamshedpur, stood at 10th place. However, FMS, Delhi, does not come under the NIRF management category but is considered one of the best colleges for MBA in India. Check the table below for NIRF rankings of all the IIMs.

IIM vs FMS vs XLRI vs MDI: A Fees Structure Comparison

MBA colleges charge exorbitant fees for MBA courses. It is essential to check all the dynamics before bearing the burden of an education loan. The MBA course fees are used to calculate the MBA ROI. Please refer to the table for more details.

IIM vs XLRI vs FMS vs MDI: Placements and Average Package Analysis

Candidates often select MBA colleges based on their highest package and average package placements. The average package is also used in calculating the MBA ROI for the colleges. For instance, IIM Ahmedabad has an average package of Rs. 35.22 LPA and 28.1% MBA ROI. The table mentions IIM vs XLRI vs FMS vs MDI highest and average packages for calculating MBA ROI, and helps you make better choices.

IIM vs FMS vs XLRI vs MDI: MBA ROI Calculation

Here, the MBA ROI calculation is based on their MBA course fees and the average salary package per annum. All the colleges have good MBA ROI, but FMS, Delhi, is at the apex of the list with 1,227% MBA ROI, making it more lucrative than other MBA colleges in 2026. The table highlights the IIM vs FMS vs XLRI vs MDI MBA ROI comparison. Please refer.

Note: The MBA ROI formula used above only uses average package and MBA fees and does not account for living expenses, taxes, loan interest, opportunity cost, etc.

MBA ROI: Fees vs Average Package

FMS Delhi MBA fee is considerably lower than its competitors, all of which are above Rs. 20 lakh for a two-year MBA program. However, the average package is in the range of Rs. 29 to 37 lakh, where IIM Bangalore offers the highest average package of around Rs. 37.10 LPA, while MDI Gurgaon is at the bottom with an average package of Rs. 29.5 LPA.

IIM vs FMS vs XLRI vs MDI: Which college is best for ROI?

In terms of MBA ROI, FMS Delhi aces the list with an MBA return on investment of around 1,227%, while others lag with less than 100% MBA ROI. IIM Bangalore is in second place with 40% MBA ROI, followed by IIM Ahmedabad at 28.1%, and MDI Gurgaon at 11.3%, with varying MBA fees and placement records.

Which is better for salary? IIM vs FMS vs XLRI vs MDI MBA ROI

IIM Bangalore offers an average package of around Rs. 37.10 LPA, which makes it the top college in the list, followed by IIM Ahmedabad with Rs. 35.22 LPA, and IIM Calcutta at Rs. 34.23 LPA. Basically, IIM ABC remains the better option in terms of salary. However, FMS Delhi, XLRI, and MDI Gurgaon are not far away and settle at Rs. 32.27 LPA, Rs. 31.40 LPA, and Rs. 29.5 LPA.

IIM vs FMS vs XLRI vs MDI: Which is better if you need an education loan?

Students looking for an educational loan to pursue an MBA program from IIMs can take advantage of SBI and ICICI loan schemes for IIMs. While taking a loan and repaying a loan for pursuing an MBA from FMS might be easier considering its lower fees and higher average package. Moreover, if you want to pursue an MBA from XLRI or MDI, Gurgaon, students can opt for student loans from various banks or MBA scholarships offered by large corporates.

Who wins? IIM vs FMS vs XLRI vs MDI MBA ROI

In the comparison between the top institutions of IIM, FMS, XLRI, and MDI, we have analysed their admission particulars, course fees, average and highest package, and their MBA return on investment (ROI), and found that FMS Delhi has a better MBA ROI of 1,227% relative to other universities. Its lower MBA fees of Rs. 2.43 Lakhs with an average package of Rs. 32.27 LPA stand out as one of the most lucrative options for MBA aspirants in view of current market trends. However, all other colleges of IIM, XLRI, and MDI have a 100% MBA ROI, which is not at all bad and worth considering for the MBA program from these institutions in 2026.