IIM vs XLRI 2026: Which one to choose? NIRF Ranking, Placement, Courses, Fees, ROI

IIM vs XLRI for MBA Admission 2026

IIM or XLRI is a tough choice for MBA aspirants. The basic difference between IIM and XLRI is the MBA entrance exam they accept. Candidates who wish to join the IIM can attend the CAT 2025 exam. Meanwhile, the students who like to join XLRI can take the XAT 2026 exam. The candidates who meet the cutoff marks of the exams will be shortlisted for further rounds.

Candidates looking for IIM or XLRI admission must know the total number of seats available in those institutes. As per the latest update, IIM offers MBA/PGDM admission in around 5000+ seats across 21 IIMs. In contrast, the XLRI total seat capacity is almost 700+.

As for the entrance exams, the total number of candidates applying for the CAT 2025 is expected to be around 3 lakh every year, while the XAT registrations are about 1.5 lakh. These statistical data outline the demand for securing a seat in these IIM or XLRI institutions.

XLRI vs IIMs: Which is better for MBA aspirants?

IIMs are the top institutes of national importance that offer a variety of management programmes. However, not all IIMs are equal in terms of reputation, quality, and placement. The old IIMs, such as IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Indore, and Kozhikode, are considered the best with high rankings, faculty, infrastructure, and alumni network. On the other hand, the new and baby IIMs, such as IIM Shillong, Rohtak, Ranchi, Raipur, etc., are relatively newer and less established, with lower cut-offs, placements, and recognition.

Therefore, many MBA aspirants prefer XLRI over these new IIMs, as XLRI has a strong brand value in the field of human resource management. However, XLRI is not better than the old IIMs, as they have an edge over XLRI in terms of diversity in courses, exposure, and opportunities.

IIM vs XLRI: NIRF Ranking

As per the latest NIRF 2025 ranking, XLRI Jamshedpur is ranked 10th among all the management institutes in India. Moreover, MBA aspirants can check the various IIM NIRF rankings 2025 from the table below.

IIM vs XLRI: Courses & fees

The details regarding the various IIM vs XLRI courses, along with the selection criteria, are mentioned in the table below.

IIM vs XLRI Courses and Fee Structure 2026

XLRI PGDM course fee ranges from Rs. 15 lakhs to Rs. 30 lakhs. However, the IIM course fee starts at Rs. 20 lakhs to Rs. 30 lakhs. The MBA course fees vary from one institute to another.

Read more:

• 11 Cheapest Colleges to Study MBA Course in India

• IIM Fees for MBA - Check MBA Fee Structure and Seats For All IIMs

IIM or XLRI: Eligibility

Candidates must fulfil the minimum eligibility requirements for applying to the MBA / PGDM / PGP courses. Check out the below table to know who can apply for the IIM vs XLRI management courses offered by the top B-schools in India.

IIM vs XLRI MBA or PGDM Eligibility Criteria

The IIMs and XLRI grade the work experience at the time of the selection process. Check the eligibility criteria for admission at IIM and XLRI below.

Quick Links:

• MBA Entrance Exams
• MBA colleges accepting XAT
• How to crack GD PI WAT rounds of top B-school

IIM vs XLRI - Admission Process

Candidates who wish to apply for the MBA/PGDM/PGP programmes must know the admission criteria followed by the top B-schools in India. IIM accepts the CAT score as a selection criteria, and for XLRI Jamshedpur, the XAT result is considered. Apart from this, GMAT or GRE results are also considered based on the B-schools chosen by the candidates. Candidates can read the details on IIM vs XLRI admission process 2026 from the below table.

IIM vs XLRI Selection Process 2026-28

Candidates who meet the eligibility criteria and cutoff can participate in the selection process conducted by the institutes.

Know more about

• XLRI Jamshedpur admission
• IIM Admission: Eligibility Criteria, Cut off, Selection Process

XLRI vs IIM - ROI

It is recommended to check out the MBA ROI before choosing any management programme at IIM or XLRI.

• MBA graduates from IIM and XLRI usually have a favourable return on investment (ROI) by considering the quality of education, placement opportunities, and salary packages. The course fees for IIM MBA specialisations vary between Rs. 20 lakhs to Rs. 30 lakhs. All the IIMs had a 100% placement record with an average annual package of Rs. 31 LPA. The IIM's highest package offered is Rs. 1.45 crore. Top IIMs like IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore have an ROI of 128% and 131%, respectively.
  
  
• XLRI provides admission in PGDM programmes with a course fee ranging from Rs. 15 lakhs to Rs. 30 lakhs. The final-year graduates get placed in reputed firms with XLRI's highest salary package of around Rs. 75 lakhs with an ROI of 103%. Therefore, both IIMs and XLRI offer good ROI for the students.

IIM vs XLRI - Placements

All IIMs and XLRI have made a 100% placement record by offering final year students to get placed in various reputed organisations. Candidates can go through the table below to know the IIM vs XLRI salary packages as per the latest data available on the official websites.

IIM vs XLRI Placement

The IIM placement statistics, such as the highest and average package, can vary from one to another.

IIM vs XLRI: Recruiters

The table below shows the list of IIM vs XLRI recruiters who attended the final and summer placements.

IIM Top Recruiters

XLRI Top Recruiters

Also Read: XLRI Placements

IIM vs XLRI - Which one to choose?

IIM offers many full-time and part-time postgraduate and doctoral programmes in the field of management studies in around 21 institutes. Candidates who obtained a valid CAT score can join any of the IIMs based on their cutoff marks. As per the latest placement reports, students get an average package of Rs. 30 to Rs. 40 LPA in various IIM campus placements.

XLRI Delhi and Jamshedpur provide admission in PGDM programmes based on the XAT score. The XLRI also offers a similar MBA placement package to graduates as compared to IIMs.

Also See: 5 Money Saving Tips For Your MBA

IIM vs XLRI: Job and Salary Packages

An MBA / PGDM programme from premier institutions like IIM or XLRI offers countless opportunities for graduates to get hired by top multinational companies. Management programmes are designed to equip MBA aspirants with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in the corporate world. The IIM placement salary package offered varies from new IIM to old IIM for different job roles. Similarly, the salary package is different for various job roles. The various job roles offered for the IIM vs XLRI graduates are mentioned below.

IIM vs XLRI Job Profiles