IIM Bangalore MBA joins global top 10 for salary growth, FT ranking shows

IIM Bangalore’s Post Graduate Programme in Enterprise Management (PGPEM) has entered the global top 10 for salary increase in the Financial Times Executive MBA Ranking 2026.

The two-year MBA programme for working professionals rose to 64th globally from 72nd last year. It ranked second among Indian business schools.

The programme’s salary increase score rose to 102% from 82% in 2025. Average alumni salary three years after graduation also increased to $285,934 from $243,035.


IIM Bangalore said it was the only Indian business school in the global top 10 for salary increase.

“PGPEM is designed for professionals who are ready to challenge themselves, broaden their managerial prowess and translate learning into meaningful impact for their organizations. The FT EMBA 2026 results, particularly the significant gains around alumni salary outcomes, are an encouraging reflection of the value our participants derive from the programme,” Professor U Dinesh Kumar, director-in-charge of IIM Bangalore, said.

How IIM Bangalore performed

The FT ranking assesses executive MBA programmes using alumni feedback and institutional data. Key measures include current salaries, salary growth, career progress, work experience, achievement of career goals and the strength of alumni networks.

IIM Bangalore’s carbon footprint ranking improved to 19th globally from 23rd last year. The institute also reported a marginal improvement in gender representation among faculty, students and board members.

The PGPEM’s result comes as average salaries for graduates of leading executive MBA programmes crossed inflation-adjusted pre-Covid levels in the 2026 FT ranking.

Across the 100 ranked business schools, alumni earned an average of $237,892 three years after completing their degrees. The figure was higher than the inflation-adjusted 2021 benchmark of $235,908, but remained below the 2018 peak of $284,862.

The joint executive MBA programme of the Kellogg School of Management and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology topped the global ranking. China’s Ceibs and Spain’s Iese followed.

Executive MBA students are generally experienced professionals who continue working while completing their degrees. The FT ranking also considers research quality, international representation, gender balance and career outcomes.

The ranking result adds to a strong year for IIM Bangalore’s PGPEM. In the QS Executive MBA Rankings 2026, the programme retained its position as India’s top executive MBA and remained the only Indian business school in the global top 100.