Best Arts colleges in Karnataka 2026
425 Arts colleges in Karnataka charge between ₹2,000 and ₹93.15 L in the first year, and National Institute of Technology - [NITK] is the highest rated of them. Every figure below is the college's own published number.
Arts colleges in Karnataka — at a glance
| Arts colleges | 425 |
|---|---|
| Fee range (first year) | ₹2,000 – ₹93.15 L |
| Government / Private | 47 / 378 |
| NIRF-ranked | 42 of 425 |
| Highest package reported | ₹1.15 Cr |
| Top rated | National Institute of Technology - [NITK] |
Top 25 Arts colleges in Karnataka
-
1
National Institute of Technology - [NITK]
Surathkal, Karnataka · Government · est. 1960
10.0 Fees from ₹3.61 L NIRF #40 60 courses -
2
St. Joseph's College of Commerce - [SJCC]
Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1972
10.0 Fees from ₹6.63 L NIRF #98 Highest ₹30 L 26 courses -
3
Christ University
Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1969
9.9 Fees from ₹5.9 L NIRF #2025 190 courses -
4
International Institute of Information Technology - [IIIT-B]
Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1998
9.9 Fees from ₹33.44 L NIRF #5 19 courses -
5
St Joseph's University
Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1882
9.9 Fees from ₹5.3 L NIRF #3 72 courses -
6
Mount Carmel College Autonomous
Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1948
9.9 Fees from ₹3.7 L NIRF #151200 Highest ₹24.8 L 92 courses -
7
Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute - [BMCRI]
Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1955
9.9 Fees from ₹3.39 L 79 courses -
8
Kristu Jayanti University
Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1999
9.9 Fees from ₹3.8 L NIRF #34 130 courses -
9
Jain University
Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1990
9.8 Fees from ₹20.6 L NIRF #84 Highest ₹81.25 L 296 courses -
10
Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce - [RCASC]
Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1994
9.8 Fees from ₹3.9 L NIRF #67 Highest ₹15 L 18 courses -
11
St Aloysius (Deemed To Be University)
Mangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1880
9.8 Fees from ₹2.45 L NIRF #73 Highest ₹15 L 126 courses -
12
International Institute of Hotel Management - [IIHM]
Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1994
9.8 Fees from ₹6.75 L NIRF #78 Highest ₹8 L 10 courses -
13
The Oxford College of Science - [TOCS]
Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1974
9.7 Fees from ₹2.25 L 25 courses -
14
Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni College for Women
Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1972
9.7 Fees from ₹2.34 L Highest ₹8 L 31 courses -
15
PES University - [PESU]
Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1972
9.7 Fees from ₹22.1 L NIRF #101 Highest ₹65 L 76 courses -
16
Bangalore University - [BU]
Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1964
9.7 Fees from ₹24,450 NIRF #201 Highest ₹15 L 184 courses -
17
SDM College Ujire
Mangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1966
9.6 Fees from ₹4.73 L NIRF #201300 32 courses -
18
Surana College
Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1995
9.6 Fees from ₹3 L Highest ₹16.41 L 60 courses -
19
Nitte University - [NITTE]
Mangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 2008
9.6 Fees from ₹17.55 L NIRF #101 Highest ₹58.93 L 159 courses -
20
Yenepoya University
Mangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 2008
9.6 Fees from ₹21.57 L NIRF #151 Highest ₹9 L 236 courses -
21
KLE Technological University
Hubli, Karnataka · Government · est. 1947
9.5 Fees from ₹12.04 L NIRF #151 Highest ₹46.38 L 38 courses -
22
St. Francis de Sales College
Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 2004
9.5 Fees from ₹2.44 L 26 courses -
23
Alva's College Moodubidire
Dakshin Kannada, Karnataka · Government · est. 1998
9.5 Fees from ₹21,190 55 courses -
24
St. Agnes College
Mangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1921
9.5 Fees from ₹2.34 L Highest ₹8 L 53 courses -
25
JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research
Mysore, Karnataka · Government · est. 2008
9.5 Fees from ₹2.42 L NIRF #1150 175 courses
Showing 25 of 425. Ordered by student rating; colleges that publish a fee appear first.
See all 425 →How to choose between them
Start with the fee you can commit to. Across Karnataka the published first-year fee runs from ₹2,000 to ₹93.15 L, so the shortlist changes completely depending on the band you pick.
Government or private. 47 of these are government-run and 378 are private. Government colleges are usually cheaper and admit on entrance rank; private colleges are more likely to have their own admission route.
Check the ranking applies to your course. 42 of these hold an NIRF rank, but NIRF is scored per category — a rank in one category says nothing about another.
Then read the placement tab, not the headline package. The highest package is one student; the percentage placed and the recruiters listed tell you far more.
Frequently asked questions
How many Arts colleges are there in Karnataka?
There are 425 Arts colleges listed in Karnataka on this page, of which 47 are government and 378 are private.
What is the fee for Arts colleges in Karnataka?
Published first-year fees range from ₹2,000 to ₹93.15 L. Each college's own figure is in the table above.
Which is the best college in Karnataka for Arts?
National Institute of Technology - [NITK] has the highest student rating among the Arts colleges listed here, in Surathkal.
What is the highest package from Arts colleges in Karnataka?
The highest package reported by a college on this page is ₹1.15 Cr. Packages vary by course and year.