MBA in Retail Management: 2025 Complete Career Guide

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Elina

03 February, 2025

MBA in Retail Management: 2025 Complete Career Guide

“The retail sector in India is expected to reach around US$ 2 trillion in value by 2032– Boston Consulting Group (BCG).”

Do you like traditional shopping, or do you enjoy online shopping? Well, sometimes it depends on what you want to buy, whether it’s groceries or buying clothes. In the shopping world, transformations are happening very fast. Currently, people make payments for purchases at retail outlets, not taking into account whether they are done online or in a physical store.

TWithin the broader field of management, retail management is a subdiscipline that deals with managing, distributing and sales of goods to customers directly. The goods reach the designated locations such as malls, homes, shops, and chain stores. This blog discusses the ins and outs of an MBA in Retail Management. Furthermore, you can see course highlights, scope, admission process, eligibility, fees, etc.

Some retail jobs require a lot of inter-team communication, time management, product knowledge, and more. These skills can be acquired once you enroll yourself in an MBA in Retail Management. Do you enjoy being busy and meeting new people? Serving as a sales assistant and communicating with customers can fulfil your thirst for serving customers and increasing the revenue of the business.

🌟 Did you know? 🌟

India’s retail market is booming!

  • ➡️
    Expected to reach a staggering $1.7 trillion by 2026
  • ➡️
    An impressive rise from $883 billion in 2020 📈 (Source: Statista)

This growth is powered by:

  • 🔹
    Increasing urbanisation
  • 🔹
    A rising middle-class population
  • 🔹
    Higher disposable incomes

What is an MBA in Retail Management?

An MBA programme in Retail Management is a two-year postgraduate programme that teaches students retail processes and management techniques. Once you complete this MBA programme, you can apply for jobs in the retail industry. While doing the programme you may develop skills like retail sales strategies and communication. An MBA programme in retail management teaches students about various aspects of management. In addition, it assists your professional journey and guides you on how to bring people together to achieve a common goal. When management concepts are combined with retail business studies, it results in a specialised MBA programme in retail management.

Retail management includes several stages, such as product manufacturing, transportation, and logistics, as well as placing the final product in the store for customers to purchase.

MBA in Retail Management Course Highlight 2025

Course DetailsInformation
Course NameMaster of Business Administration in Retail Management
Course LevelPostgraduate
Course Duration2 years
Eligibility CriteriaGraduation with 50% (Some colleges/universities offer discounts and off for reserved categories)
AgeNo age bar
Entrance ExamsCMAT, XAT, CAT, MAT, GMAT
Top Recruiting AreasBanking Institutes, Healthcare Industry, Educational Institutes, Retail Operations, and more.
Average FeesINR 3 LPA to 25 LPA*
Average SalaryINR 50,000 – INR 30 LPA*
Top CollegesChitkara University, Parul University, ITM Business School, Mumbai
Top RecruitersAmazon, Flipkart, ITC Retail, Reliance Group, Lifestyle International, Zomato, Nestle.
Job ProfilesRetail Manager, Sales Manager, Sales Head, Fund Manager, Merchandiser, Retail Executive, Logistics Manager, Operations Manager, Advertising Manager, Administrative Officer, Marketing Manager, Senior Operation Manager, Store Manager, Regional Manager, Sales Manager, Brand Manager, etc.

MBA in Retail Management Scope in 2025

Scope of MBA in Retail Management growing drastically. Opting for an MBA in Retail Management is a great choice for your career. Since it can open up various career opportunities for you in the retail sector.


  • Career Opportunities: Prepare for roles like store manager, retail manager, merchandising manager, supply chain manager, marketing manager, etc.

  • Focus Areas: Retail operations, merchandising, customer relationship management, supply chain management, marketing, and strategy in retail data.

  • Internships and Projects: Includes hands-on projects and internships with top retail companies providing industrial exposure and networking opportunities.

Why MBA in Retail Management?

An MBA in retail management helps you understand how stores and businesses work. In addition, you can study people’s shopping behaviour and their likes and dislikes. Once you complete this prominent MBA programme, you can set up your store. Furthermore, you can assist different businesses in expanding their store chain and help them achieve their business targets.

MBA in Retail Management Admission Process 2025

The admission procedure for an MBA in retail management varies from institution to institution, but it generally remains the same in most of the colleges. Some colleges focus on the overall merit score and past academic performances, whereas others focus on the candidate’s overall profile.

Its process starts by conducting an entrance examination, like CAT, XAT, MAT, CMAT, GMAT and SNAP. The score obtained by the students in the exams acts as a stepping stone. Followed by group discussion and personal interview (GD-PI) sessions to select the finest candidate.

Also Read: Online MBA Courses: Complete Guide

MBA in Retail Management Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria may differ based on institute location, seats, etc. You have to verify the eligibility criteria before taking admission to an MBA in Retail Management.


  • Eligibility: You must have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university/institute in India.

  • Minimum Aggregate: You must score a minimum aggregate of 50% to be eligible for an MBA in Retail Management admission. (Relaxation may apply for SC/ST/PWD candidates).

  • Entrance Exams: You must appear for MBA entrance exams such as the CAT, XAT, CMAT, MAT, and SNAP to get a relevant score.

📌 Note: If you want admission in this specialisation you must score a minimum cutoff in the examination, specified by the institute/university. Some colleges might focus on your merit score, while others focus on the overall profile and resume. Some institutions emphasise work experience of at least one year before applying for an MBA programme.

MBA in Retail Management Accepted Entrance Exams

Admission to top MBA institutions in India can be achieved through various entrance exams. The entrance exams are conducted by various national-level conducting bodies. Marks obtained in these exams determine your ranking. You can even take multiple entrance exams. Below is a list of some prominent MBA entrance exams conducted in India.

What are the types of MBA in Retail Management Courses

If you are willing to pursue full-time mode or part-time mode, you can choose from the varieties of MBA Retail Management: Online, Distance, Part-time and Full time MBA. You can choose anyone according to your comfort and career goals.

MBA in Retail Management Syllabus

Here you can see the semester-wise syllabus of the MBA in retail management. There are 4 semesters in 2 years.

The year-wise syllabus of the online MBA in Retail Management is as follows:

Semester 1Semester 2
Principles of Management and Organisational BehaviourFinancial Management
Accounting for ManagersRetail Concepts Management
Business EconomicsHuman Resource Management
Quantitative TechniquesQuantitative Techniques II
Marketing ManagementConsumer Behavior
Retail Business EnvironmentOperations Management
Business CommunicationRetail Product and Brand Management
Excel Lab for BusinessBusiness Research Methods
Semester 3Semester 4
Retail Promotion ManagementCategory Management and Private Label
Supply Chain ManagementRetail Analytics
Retail Store ManagementInternational Retailing
Customer Handling with CRMRural Retailing
E-Commerce and E-RetailingRetail Strategy and Franchising Management
Services ManagementBuying and Merchandising Management
Sensory MarketingVisual Merchandising
Retail Entrepreneurship DevelopmentProject Work
Summer Internship

Top MBA in Retail Management Colleges & Fees in India

Name of Regular CollegesFee Structure
Chitkara UniversityINR 3,30,000
Parul UniversityINR 81,550 (Annually)
ITM Business School, MumbaiNot disclosed
Jaipuria Institute of ManagementINR 14,75,000
Name of Online CollegesFee Structure
Chandigarh Online (UGC, NAAC A+)INR 1,58,000 (After early bird discount)
D Y Patil University Online (UGC, NAAC A++)INR 1,70,000
Online Manipal (UGC, NAAC A+)INR 1,75,000
Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning (UGC, NAAC A++)INR 65,000
Shoolini University (UGC, NAAC A+)INR 19,750 per semester

MBA in Retail Management Top Recruiters

Top Recruiters Top Recruiters
Lifestyle InternationalFlipkart
Reliance RetailWalmart India
Aditya Birla RetailAmazon India
Shoppers StopSnapdeal
Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL)Myntra

MBA Retail Management Salary: Know Your Opportunities

Some of the popular retail job profiles for MBA graduates and their salaries are shared below. The salaries listed may vary depending on location, organisation, and level of experience.

Job ProfileAverage Salary*
Retail ManagerINR 5-21 LPA
Brand ManagerINR 6-25 LPA
Product ManagerINR 6-24 LPA
Warehouse ManagerINR 5-20 LPA
MerchandiserINR 5.5 – 15 LPA

Also Read: Distance MBA in Retail Management: The Complete Guide

Wrapping It Up..

Retailing is a dynamic industry that has grown by a whopping 30% over the last 10 years. Due to the wide variety of job roles and global job opportunities, MBA graduates are becoming more and more inclined towards this programme. According to recent surveys, an online MBA in Retail Management offers more than 2 million job opportunities across the globe.

So, if you are a graduate and planning to take up managerial roles in retail businesses or start your own retail brand, it’s high time to enrol in an online MBA in Retail Management to gain the necessary knowledge, expertise and skills. Remember that an online MBA in Retail Management not only offers you thorough industry knowledge about the field but also prepares you to stand out in the market.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is a Retail Management MBA?

Retail management is the process of improving sales and customer satisfaction through consumers’ understanding of the goods and services produced.

Q2: Is an MBA in Retail Management worth it?

The advantage of pursuing an MBA in Retail Management is determined by your career goals, interests, and specific requirements. To put it in simple words, an MBA in Retail Management can help you stay up to date on the latest trends, technologies, and practices in the industry, making you an asset.

Lastly, you can also discuss and connect with professors, classmates, and industry professionals, which can lead to good job opportunities and partnerships in the retail sector. Hence, MBA in retail management is worth to do

Q3. What is the salary after an MBA in Retail Management?

There are various job opportunities after completing your MBA in retail management programme. Retail management offers many career opportunities in operations management and business administration. The base pay range of a retail manager ranges from INR 5 lakh to INR 25 Lakhs.

Q4: What career opportunities are available with an MBA in Retail Management?

Some of the job roles available for graduates after completing an MBA in Retail Management are sales executive, customer care executive, store manager, image promoter, retail manager, merchandiser, brand manager, supply chain manager, lobby manager, etc.

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