Best Colleges in Kerala: Fees, Admission 2026, Courses, Placements
Kerala has about 2,200+ colleges including private, government, and semi government colleges. Kerala colleges offer diverse specialisations like BMS, Accounting and Commerce, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, IT and Software, etc. Top colleges are Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, NIT Calicut, University College, Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram, Sacred Heart College, etc.
Top colleges in Kerala are primarily affiliated with the University of Kerala, Calicut University, Mahatma Gandhi University, and APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, boasting high NAAC accreditation.
- Key Features of Colleges in Kerala 2026
- NIRF Ranking 2025 of Top Colleges in Kerala
- Eligibility Criteria to get Admission to Kerala Colleges in 2026
- Stream-wise Colleges in Kerala
- 4.1 Top Business and Management Colleges in Kerala
- 4.2 Top Accounting and Commerce
Kerala has about 2,200+ colleges including private, government, and semi government colleges. Kerala colleges offer diverse specialisations like BMS, Accounting and Commerce, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, IT and Software, etc. Top colleges are Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, NIT Calicut, University College, Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram, Sacred Heart College, etc.
Top colleges in Kerala are primarily affiliated with the University of Kerala, Calicut University, Mahatma Gandhi University, and APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, boasting high NAAC accreditation.
- Key Features of Colleges in Kerala 2026
- NIRF Ranking 2025 of Top Colleges in Kerala
- Eligibility Criteria to get Admission to Kerala Colleges in 2026
- Stream-wise Colleges in Kerala
- 4.1 Top Business and Management Colleges in Kerala
- 4.2 Top Accounting and Commerce Colleges in Kerala
- 4.3 Top Humanities and Social Sciences colleges in Kerala
- Courses Offered by Kerala Colleges
- Best Colleges in Kerala: Comparison
Key Features of Colleges in Kerala 2026
The top colleges in Kerala have very high academic standards. The premier colleges NIT Calicut, IIST Thiruvananthapuram and the top govt engineering colleges CET, TKM etc. provide excellent engineering and technical education. The top arts/science colleges are Rajagiri University College and the top focuses on providing quality education with admission based on KEAM for engineering.
Some of the key highlights of top colleges in Kerala with all important details are discussed below. –
| Particulars |
Statistics |
|---|---|
| Total no. of colleges in Kerala |
2,200+ colleges |
| Top streams offered by Kerala colleges |
BMS: 690 Accounting and Commerce: 680+ Humanities: 650+ Science: 590+ IT and Software: 570+ |
| Top institutes in Kerala |
· Rajagiri College of Social Sciences · NIT Calicut · University College, Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram, etc |
| Accepted entrance exams |
JEE Main, CAT, XAT, KMAT Kerala, and many others. |
Source: Official site and may vary.
NIRF Ranking 2025 of Top Colleges in Kerala
Rajagiri College of Social Sciences is the top ranked college in Kerala followed by other top colleges like University College, Thiruvananthapuram and Sacred Heart College. Listed below are the top colleges with NIRF rankings 2025 -
| Top Colleges in Kerala |
NIRF 2025 |
|---|---|
| 12 |
|
| 23 |
|
| 44 |
|
| 53 |
|
| 54 |
|
| St Berchmans College (Autonomous), Changanacherry, Kerala Ranking |
56 |
NOTE: The above NIRF rankings have been taken from NIRF official site and may vary.
Eligibility Criteria to get Admission to Kerala Colleges in 2026
Given below is the eligibility criteria for Kerala colleges -
- Candidates must complete their Class 12 with an aggregate of 45% for general and 40% for reserved categories.
- Clear an entrance exam for selected stream like
- Medical: NEET-UG, NEET-PG
Management: CAT, XAT, MAT, etc.
Science: JAM, NET, etc.
Arts & Commerce: Merit lists or university entrance tests.
Source: The above info. been taken from official site and may vary.
Stream-wise Colleges in Kerala
Below mentioned content depicts the details of various streams offered by Kerala colleges with detailed information. –
| Top Streams | Top Courses offered by no. of colleges | Top Colleges |
|---|---|---|
| Business and Management Studies | BBA: 500+ MBA: 190+ BBM/BMS: 10+ |
|
| Accounting and Commerce | BCom: 640+ MCom: 300+ |
|
| Humanities and Social Sciences | BA: 570+ MA: 220+ BSc: 100+ BSW: 40+ |
|
| Science | BSc: 520+ MSc: 260+ |
|
| IT & Software | BCA: 420+ MCA: 100 BCom: 60+ |
|
Top Business and Management Colleges in Kerala
Top business and management colleges in Kerala offer top MBA and BBA courses with strong placements, led by the prestigious IIM Kozhikode. Below mentioned are the top BMS colleges in Kerala with tuition fees -
| Top BMS Colleges in Kerala |
Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
| INR 7.6lakh – INR 28 lakh |
|
| INR 3 lakh |
|
| Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi Admission |
INR 67,040 – INR 88,110 |
| MGU Kerala Admission |
INR 37,880 |
| INR 50,000 – INR 7.5 lakh |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Top Accounting and Commerce Colleges in Kerala
Top accounting and commerce colleges in Kerala offer BCom and MCom courses. Kerala colleges offer strong academic programs, often with specialisations in finance, taxation, and professional accounting. Below mentioned are the top colleges -
| Top Accounting Colleges in Kerala |
Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
| INR 3,780 – INR 78,000 |
|
| INR 3,780 |
|
| Yuvakshetra Institute of Management Studies Admission |
INR 54,000 – INR 84,000 |
| ICSI Delhi - Institute of Company Secretaries of India Admission |
INR 4,000 – INR 4 lakh |
| INR 38,680 – INR 1.8 lakh |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Top Humanities and Social Sciences colleges in Kerala
Top Humanities and Social Sciences colleges in Kerala include esteemed institutions like Sacred Heart College (Thevara), Marian College (Kuttikkanam), Vimala College (Thrissur), and St. Teresa's College (Ernakulam). Top universities offering these programs include the University of Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi University, and CUSAT. These institutions offer diverse programs in arts, social sciences, media, and languages.
| Top Humanities Colleges in Kerala |
Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
| INR 2,190 – INR 90,000 |
|
| INR 14,520 – INR 29,520 |
|
| INR 7,900 – INR 33,720 |
|
| INR 3,780 |
|
| INR 3,780 – INR 84,000 |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Courses Offered by Kerala Colleges
Below mentioned are the detailed info. on the courses offered by various colleges in Kerala –
| Top Streams |
Top Courses Offered |
Top Colleges |
|---|---|---|
| Business and Management |
BBA, MBA, etc. |
690 |
| Accounting and Commerce |
BCom, MCom, etc. |
680+ |
| Medicine |
BPharma, MD, DPharma, MBBS, etc. |
260+ |
| Law |
LLM, LLB, BCom, LLB, BA LLB, etc. |
50+ |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Colleges in Kerala: Comparison
Listed below is the comparison of the top colleges in Kerala with other colleges –
Best Colleges in Kerala: Fees, Admission 2026, Courses, Placements
Commonly asked questions On Best Colleges in Kerala: Fees, Admission 2026, Courses, Placements
As per NIRF ranking 2025, under "colleges" category, Rajagiri College of Social Sciences is the top ranked college in Kerala. Below mentioned are the other top colleges with their NIRF rankings -
Top Colleges in Kerala | NIRF 2025 |
|---|---|
12 | |
23 | |
44 | |
53 | |
54 | |
Govt.5 Berchmans College (Autonomous), Changanacherry, Kerala Ranking | 56 |
NOTE: The above NIRF rankings have been taken from NIRF official site and may vary.
Rajagiri College of Social Sciences (RCSS) has a dedicated placement cell to manage the placements of various courses. As of now, the course-wise placement rate for MBA has not been released by the college. As per the college's NIRF Report 2024, 277 students from PG (2-year) courses were placed in 2023. The placement rate for various PG (2-year) courses (including MBA) was 77% in 2023. It was 70% in 2022.
To get admission to Kerala colleges, candidates must meet the certain eligibility criteria -
- Candidates must complete their Class 12 with 45% aggregate marks
- They must clear an entrance exam like
- Medical: NEET-UG, NEET-PG
- Management: CAT, XAT, MAT, etc.
- Science: JAM, NET, etc.
- Arts & Commerce: Merit lists or university entrance tests.
Source: official site and may vary.
The Rajagiri College of Social Sciences the highest package details have not been released. Once out, it will be mentioned here. Meanwhile, take a look at the table below depicting the placement rate for the RCSS placements 2024:
Particulars | Placement Statistics (2024) |
|---|---|
Placement rate | - 27% (UG) - 92% (Technical, Science & Social Science PG Courses) |
Commonly asked questions On Best Colleges in Kerala: Fees, Admission 2026, Courses, Placements
No, you can not join this college directly.Filling out the application via the Vimala College admissions portal is required for all categories.The official college website lists the particular eligibility requirements for each of the many undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate programs that the college offers.Attend the University of Calicut's entrance examination, provide your class 12 report card and any additional paperwork that is needed.If you are selected for counseling, please show up on the designated date and time.Seat allocation is determined by entrance exam scores, 12th percentile, seat availability, and reservations.
For PG courses, give the appropriate postgraduate entrance test (CUCET for MA students, CAT/MAT for MBA students).Bring all original documentation to the counseling process, along with your qualifying exam results.Entry is determined by merit, taking into account a candidate's academic history, qualifying exam results, etc.
Private colleges in Kerala have modern infrastructure and higer tuition fees as compared to government colleges. Below mentioned are some of the top private colleges -
| Private Colleges | Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
| Rajagiri College of Social Sciences | INR 2,190 - INR 1 lakh |
| Sacred Heart College | INR 13,460 - INR 2.88 lakh |
| St Teresa's College | INR 24,000 - INR 19 lakh |
| Vimala College | INR 3,780 - INR 1.01 lakh |
| Farook College | INR 3,150 - INR 77,000 |
Source: Official site and may vary.
BMS, Accounting, IT and Software are some of the top streams offered by Kerala colleges. Below mentioned are the top streams with courses offered and no. of colleges -
Top Streams | Top Courses Offered | Top Colleges |
|---|---|---|
Business and Management | BBA, MBA, etc. | 690 |
Accounting and Commerce | BCom, MCom, etc. | 680+ |
Medicine | BPharma, MD, DPharma, MBBS, etc. | 260+ |
Law | LLM, LLB, BCom, LLB, BA LLB, etc. | 50+ |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Commonly asked questions On Best Colleges in Kerala: Fees, Admission 2026, Courses, Placements
There are about 2,200+ colleges in Kerala. Kerala has all private, government, and semi government colleges. Top colleges are Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, NIT Calicut, University College, Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram, Sacred Heart College, etc.
Kerala colleges offer diverse specialisations like BMS, Accounting and Commerce, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, IT and Software, etc.
Below mentioned are the top private Engineering colleges in Kerala with tuition fees -
Private Colleges | Total Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
INR 12 lakh- INR 24 lakh | |
INR 2 lakh | |
INR 3 lakh | |
INR 4 lakh | |
INR 2 lakh | |
Adi Shankara Institute of Engineering and Technology Admission | INR 3 lakh |
Disclaimer: This info. is taken from the official website and may vary.
Business and Management studies is the top stream offered by top Kerala college. MBA and BBA are the top streams offered by these colleges. Below mentioned are the top colleges with tuition fees -
Top BMS Colleges in Kerala | Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
IIM Kozhikode Admission | INR 7.6lakh – INR 28 lakh |
NIT Calicut Admission | INR 3 lakh |
Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi Admission | INR 67,040 – INR 88,110 |
MGU Kerala Admission | INR 37,880 |
Rajagiri Business School Admission | INR 50,000 – INR 7.5 lakh |
Source: Official site and may vary.