Best colleges in Karnataka 2026
1,802 colleges in Karnataka charge between ₹2,000 and ₹1.81 Cr in the first year, and Institute of Hotel Management - [IHM] is the highest rated of them. Every figure below is the college's own published number.
Colleges in Karnataka — at a glance
| Colleges listed | 1,802 |
|---|---|
| Fee range (first year) | ₹2,000 – ₹1.81 Cr |
| Government / Private | 237 / 1,565 |
| NIRF-ranked | 119 of 1,802 |
| Highest package reported | ₹1.15 Cr |
| Top rated | Institute of Hotel Management - [IHM] |
Which college in Karnataka is best?
It depends what you are optimising for. Each pick below is the best in this list on that one measure.
Top 8 colleges in Karnataka compared
Rating, ranking, fees and placement side by side.
| College | Rating | NIRF | Fees from | Highest package | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IHM Bangalore Bangalore | 10 | — | ₹4.65 L | ₹8 L | Government |
| NIMHANS Bangalore | 10 | #7 | ₹2.73 L | — | Government |
| NIT Surathkal Surathkal | 10 | — | ₹3.61 L | — | Government |
| IISc Bangalore Bangalore | 10 | #1 | ₹8.38 L | — | Government |
| SDM College of Medical Sciences and Hospital Sattur Dharwad Dharwad | 10 | — | ₹6.49 L | — | Government |
| SJCC Bangalore | 10 | — | ₹6.63 L | ₹30 L | Government |
| Christ University Bangalore | 9.9 | — | ₹5.9 L | — | Government |
| IIIT Bangalore Bangalore | 9.9 | #69 | ₹33.44 L | — | Government |
A dash means that college has not published the figure. Nothing here is estimated.
Top 25 colleges in Karnataka
-
1
Institute of Hotel Management - [IHM]
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1969
star 10.0 Fees from ₹4.65 L Highest ₹8 L 6 courses -
2
National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences - [NIMHANS]
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1974
star 10.0 Fees from ₹2.73 L NIRF #7 14 courses -
3
National Institute of Technology - [NITK]
location_on Surathkal, Karnataka · Government · est. 1960
star 10.0 Fees from ₹3.61 L 8 courses -
4
Indian Institute of Science - [IISc]
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1909
star 10.0 Fees from ₹8.38 L NIRF #1 9 courses -
5
SDM College of Medical Sciences and Hospital - [SDMCH] Sattur
location_on Dharwad, Karnataka · Government · est. 2004
star 10.0 Fees from ₹6.49 L 53 courses -
6
St. Joseph's College of Commerce - [SJCC]
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1972
star 10.0 Fees from ₹6.63 L Highest ₹30 L 10 courses -
7
Christ University
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1969
star 9.9 Fees from ₹5.9 L 33 courses -
8
International Institute of Information Technology - [IIIT-B]
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1998
star 9.9 Fees from ₹33.44 L NIRF #69 7 courses -
9
Faculty of Hospitality Management and Catering Technology - [FHMCT], M. S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1993
star 9.9 Fees from ₹7.16 L 3 courses -
10
St Joseph's University
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1882
star 9.9 Fees from ₹5.3 L 18 courses -
11
Kasturba Medical College - [KMC]
location_on Manipal, Karnataka · Government · est. 1953
star 9.9 Fees from ₹94.98 L 65 courses -
12
Mount Carmel College Autonomous
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1948
star 9.9 Fees from ₹3.7 L Highest ₹24.8 L 14 courses -
13
Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute - [BMCRI]
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1955
star 9.9 Fees from ₹3.39 L 14 courses -
14
Indian Institute of Science, Department of Management Studies - [DMSIISC]
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1947
star 9.9 Fees from ₹6.42 L Highest ₹85 L 2 courses -
15
Kristu Jayanti University
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1999
star 9.9 Fees from ₹3.8 L NIRF #34 21 courses -
16
RV College of Architecture - [RVCA]
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1992
star 9.9 Fees from ₹5.65 L 3 courses -
17
KLE Society's Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1963
star 9.9 Fees from ₹1.1 L 1 courses -
18
M.S. Ramaiah College of Law - [MSRCL]
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1995
star 9.9 Fees from ₹8 L Highest ₹6 L 5 courses -
19
Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies - [NMIMS University]
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 2008
star 9.9 Fees from ₹22 L Highest ₹72 L 6 courses -
20
KLE Society's Law College
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 1975
star 9.9 Fees from ₹3.6 L 5 courses -
21
Alliance School of Law
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 2010
star 9.9 Fees from ₹9 L Highest ₹60.1 L 5 courses -
22
Manipal College of Dental Sciences - [MCODS]
location_on Manipal, Karnataka · Government · est. 1965
star 9.9 Fees from ₹22.1 L 14 courses -
23
TAPMI Manipal
location_on Manipal, Karnataka · Government · est. 1980
star 9.9 Fees from ₹28.9 L Highest ₹32.77 L 5 courses -
24
Manipal School of Architecture and Planning - [MSAP]
location_on Manipal, Karnataka · Government
star 9.9 Fees from ₹21.95 L 12 courses -
25
Mesa School of Business - [MSB]
location_on Bangalore, Karnataka · Government · est. 2023
star 9.8 Fees from ₹69 L Highest ₹45 L 2 courses
Showing 25 of 1,802. Ordered by student rating; colleges that publish a fee appear first.
See all 1,802 →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 ₹1.81 Cr, so the shortlist changes completely depending on the band you pick.
Government or private. 237 of these are government-run and 1,565 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. 119 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 colleges are there in Karnataka?
There are 1,802 colleges listed in Karnataka on this page, of which 237 are government and 1,565 are private.
What is the fee for colleges in Karnataka?
Published first-year fees range from ₹2,000 to ₹1.81 Cr. Each college's own figure is in the table above.
Which is the best college in Karnataka?
Institute of Hotel Management - [IHM] has the highest student rating among the colleges listed here, in Bangalore.
What is the highest package from colleges in Karnataka?
The highest package reported by a college on this page is ₹1.15 Cr. Packages vary by course and year.
