ISB Hyderabad is ranked 4th out of 372 MBA colleges in India by Collegedunia 2026 with a CD Score of 1,852 out of 2,000 and a Placement Score of 950 out of 1,000, 1st in Hyderabad. It is ranked 12 in the Financial Times Global MBA Rankings 2026, a jump of 15 places from 27 in FT 2025.
- ISB Hyderabad is ranked 1 in India in the FT Global MBA Rankings for three consecutive years (2024, 2025, 2026) and 2 in Asia in FT 2026.
- It is ranked #86 in QS Global MBA Rankings 2025, with the Executive MBA programme ranked in the 111-120 band.
- ISB is ranked 5 in Bloomberg Asia-Pacific MBA Rankings 2024 and 6 globally by LinkedIn MBA Rankings 2024.
- ISB Hyderabad is the only Indian B-school with Triple Crown accreditation (AMBA, EQUIS, and AACSB), the 100th institution globally to achieve this status.
- ISB does not participate in NIRF rankings. It is an autonomous B-school, not a university, and falls outside the institutional categories NIRF evaluates for management programmes.
ISB Hyderabad Ranking in India
ISB Hyderabad is ranked by Collegedunia, IIRF, India Today, and Business Today across its MBA and Executive MBA programmes. Across every Indian ranking body that covers it, ISB holds the top or near-top position among private B-schools. The table below consolidates the latest rank across each body.
| Ranking Body | Category | 2025 Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia | MBA | 4 out of 372 (1st in Telangana) |
| IIRF | MBA (Overall) | 6 (private B-school #1) |
| India Today | Executive MBA | 1 out of 15 (2024) |
| Business Today | Executive MBA/PGDM | 3 (2024) |
| Times of India | MBA | 12 out of 50 (2019) |
ISB's Collegedunia CD Score of 1,852 out of 2,000 places it 505 points above MANAGE Hyderabad (2 in Hyderabad at 1,347), reflecting a near-category-defining gap from its closest local peer. India Today moved ISB to 1 in Executive MBA in 2024, up from 3 in 2023, with ISB holding that position in both the 2024 and the latest available cycle.
ISB Hyderabad Collegedunia Ranking
Collegedunia ranks ISB Hyderabad 4 out of 372 MBA colleges in India in 2025, with a CD Score of 1,852 out of 2,000. The Placement Score of 950 out of 1,000 is one of the highest on the platform, reflecting ISB's 100% employment rate and a median domestic CTC of approximately 33 LPA. It is ranked 1 among all MBA colleges in Telangana.
| Stream / Category | 2026 Rank | 2025 Rank | CD Score | Placement Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MBA (India) | Not yet published | 4 out of 372 (1st in Telangana) | 1,852 / 2,000 | 950 / 1,000 |
The three institutes ahead of ISB on Collegedunia MBA are IIM Ahmedabad (#1), IIM Bangalore (#2), and IIM Calcutta (#3) — all older IIMs with larger research profiles. ISB sits directly above IIM Lucknow and XLRI Jamshedpur in the Collegedunia MBA list, positioning it firmly in the top-5 Indian B-schools by this measure.
ISB Hyderabad FT Global MBA Ranking
The Financial Times Global MBA ranking is the most-watched international ranking for ISB. ISB is ranked 12 in FT Global MBA 2026, the highest position ever achieved by an Indian B-school in this ranking. The 15-place jump from 27 in FT 2025 is also the largest single-cycle gain by an Indian programme in the FT's history.
ISB Hyderabad FT Global MBA Ranking: Multi-Year Trend
The table below tracks ISB's FT Global MBA rank from 2023 to 2026. The trajectory is one of consistent, steep improvement — 27 positions gained over four cycles.
| Year | FT Global MBA Rank | India Rank | Asia Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| FT 2026 | 12 | 1 | 2 |
| FT 2025 | 27 | 1 | - |
| FT 2024 | 31 | 1 | - |
| FT 2023 | 39 | 1 | 6 |
ISB has been ranked 1 in India in FT Global MBA for three consecutive years (2024, 2025, 2026). Its strongest FT sub-parameters in 2025 were: Salary Percentage Increase #2 globally (229% increase post-MBA) and Alumni Network 4 globally. The Career Services rank of 19 and three-month employment rate of 100% (98% response rate) are the two FT parameters most directly relevant to aspirants evaluating ROI.
ISB Hyderabad FT Global MBA Sub-parameter Rankings (2025)
FT publishes sub-parameter ranks for each B-school alongside the overall rank. ISB's 2025 sub-parameter positions are listed below, showing where its programme particularly leads or lags globally.
| FT Parameter | ISB Global Rank (FT 2025) |
|---|---|
| Salary Percentage Increase | 2 |
| Alumni Network | 4 |
| Career Services | 19 |
| Value for Money | 55 |
| Career Progress | 41 |
| Overall Satisfaction | 9.29 / 10 |
| 3-Month Employment Rate | 100% |
ISB Hyderabad Other Rankings
Beyond FT, ISB is ranked by QS, Bloomberg, and LinkedIn for its MBA and Executive MBA programmes. The QS Global MBA rank has moved in the other direction from FT — from 65 in 2023 to 86 in 2025 — a divergence that reflects the different weights QS and FT place on academic reputation vs salary outcomes.
| Ranking Body | Programme | 2025 / Latest Rank | 2024 Rank | 2023 Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QS Global MBA | MBA (PGP) | 86 out of 251 | 78 out of 315 | 65 |
| QS Executive MBA | MBA MAX (PGPMAX) | 111-120 band | - | - |
| Bloomberg | Asia-Pacific MBA | 5 (2024) | 5 | - |
| MBA (Global) | 5 (2025) | 6 (2024) | - |
The LinkedIn MBA rank of 5 globally in 2025 (improved from 6 in 2024) is the strongest validation of ISB's alumni network and employer reputation — LinkedIn's methodology is based on career outcomes of alumni tracked on the platform. The Bloomberg Asia-Pacific rank of #5 positions ISB among the top tier of Asian business schools, behind only programmes like INSEAD (Singapore), CEIBS, and a small group of Japanese and Chinese schools.
ISB Hyderabad vs IIM Ahmedabad
ISB Hyderabad and IIM Ahmedabad are the two most compared B-schools in India, particularly among applicants with work experience choosing between a one-year MBA and a two-year PGP. Each leads a different ranking framework: ISB leads in FT and QS global rankings; IIM Ahmedabad leads in NIRF and Collegedunia. The table below shows the full side-by-side picture.
| Ranking Body | Programme | ISB Hyderabad | IIM Ahmedabad |
|---|---|---|---|
| FT Global MBA 2026 | MBA (Global) | 12 | 27 |
| QS Global MBA 2025 | MBA (Global) | 86 | 60 |
| Collegedunia 2025 | MBA (India) | 4 | 1 |
| NIRF Management 2025 | Management (India) | Not ranked | 1 |
| India Today 2024 | Executive MBA | 1 | 2 |
| LinkedIn MBA 2024 | MBA (Global) | 6 | - |
| FT Global MBA — Salary Increase | Sub-parameter | 2 globally | - |
ISB leads in FT Global MBA (12 vs IIM-A's 27), India Today Executive MBA (1 vs 2), and LinkedIn (6 vs unranked). IIM Ahmedabad leads in QS Global MBA (60 vs ISB's 86), Collegedunia MBA (1 vs 4), and NIRF Management (1 vs not ranked). The split reflects the structural difference between the two programmes: ISB's one-year format with an experienced cohort optimises FT's salary-increase parameter, while IIM-A's two-year PGP with a broader research and academic mission scores higher on NIRF and QS's academic reputation metrics.
ISB Hyderabad Ranking FAQs
Ques. What is ISB Hyderabad's FT ranking in 2026?
Ans. ISB Hyderabad is ranked 12 globally in the Financial Times Global MBA Rankings 2026, a 15-place improvement from 27 in FT 2025. This is the highest global FT rank ever achieved by an Indian B-school and the largest single-cycle gain by an Indian programme in the ranking's history. ISB is ranked 1 in India and 2 in Asia in FT 2026. Its strongest FT sub-parameters are Salary Percentage Increase (2 globally, 229% post-MBA) and Alumni Network (4 globally).
Ques. Why is ISB Hyderabad not ranked in NIRF?
Ans. ISB Hyderabad does not participate in NIRF rankings. ISB is an autonomous private institution — not a university — and chooses to participate in international ranking frameworks (FT, QS, Bloomberg) rather than NIRF. Participation in NIRF is voluntary for private institutions. The absence of ISB from the NIRF Management list does not reflect a ranking outcome; it reflects a strategic non-participation. IIM Ahmedabad leads NIRF Management 2025 at 1 and is the correct benchmark for aspirants who specifically weight NIRF in their comparison.
Ques. Is ISB Hyderabad better than IIM Ahmedabad in rankings?
Ans. The answer depends on the framework. ISB leads in FT Global MBA 2026 (#12 vs IIM-A's 27) and in India Today Executive MBA 2024 (#1 vs #2). IIM Ahmedabad leads in QS Global MBA 2025 (60 vs ISB's #86), Collegedunia MBA (1 vs 4), and NIRF Management (1, ISB unranked). For applicants with 4+ years of work experience targeting senior roles or entrepreneurship, ISB's salary-increase and alumni network metrics are stronger. For applicants earlier in their careers or targeting research or government consulting, IIM Ahmedabad's NIRF and legacy metrics are more relevant.
Ques. Why does ISB rank higher in FT than in QS?
Ans. ISB's FT rank has risen from #39 (2023) to #12 (2026) while its QS Global MBA rank has moved from #65 (2023) to #86 (2025). The divergence reflects methodology differences. FT weights post-MBA salary increase heavily — ISB's experienced cohort produces a 229% salary increase, ranked #2 globally. QS weights Academic Reputation and Employer Reputation by survey, where ISB competes against schools with decades of global brand recognition in those surveys. The two rankings are measuring different things and should be read together rather than as contradictory signals.
Ques. What is ISB Hyderabad's rank in India for MBA?
Ans. ISB Hyderabad is ranked #4 in India for MBA by Collegedunia 2025, behind IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Calcutta. It is ranked #1 among private B-schools in India by IIRF (2022, most recent available cycle) and #1 in FT Global MBA for three consecutive years (2024, 2025, 2026) among Indian institutions. India Today placed it #1 in Executive MBA in 2024. Across all Indian ranking bodies that cover ISB, it holds either #1 or top-5 positions.
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