Odisha has many IITs, NITs, government universities, and private or private deemed universities. They differ significantly in fees, placements, and overall value. This guide compares the top engineering colleges in Odisha based on their NIRF 2025 rankings, published placement data, and fee structures.
Our goal is to make the comparison practical. We don’t rank colleges simply by their positions. We also look at what you pay, what you can expect in return, and which type of college makes sense for different students. Where reliable figures are unavailable, or sources disagree, we state that clearly in the article. We don’t fill the gaps with estimates.
Top Engineering Colleges in Odisha at A Glance
Colleges compared
10 colleges, all listed in the official NIRF 2025 Engineering rankings.
Institution Mix
2 central government institutes (an IIT and an NIT), 2 state government universities, and 6 private or private-deemed universities.
4-year fee range
Approximately ₹1.4 lakh to ₹22.5 lakh. The range is wide because government-funded colleges have low fees.
A surprising ranking fact
IIT Bhubaneswar ranks 39th in NIRF Engineering, behind two private institutions—Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (rank 22) and KIIT (rank 36).
Fastest fee payback
The state Government College on the list has such low fees that even a modest placement can cover the tuition fees within a year.
Quick Comparison
NIT Rourkela
Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA)
KIIT
IIT Bhubaneswar
CV Raman Global University
VSSUT, Burla
Centurion University (CUTM)
Silicon University
CET Bhubaneswar (OUTR)
GIFT Autonomous
Note: NIRF publishes exact numerical ranks only up to 100. For colleges ranked below 100, NIRF groups them into bands such as 101–150, 151–200, and 201–300, without individual ranks. Colleges in the same band are treated almost equally. In the list, VSSUT is in the 151-200 band. CUTM, Silicon University, and CET Bhubaneswar fall in the same 201-300 ranking band.
2 Private Universities Outrank Odisha’s Only IIT
IIT Bhubaneswar has the strongest brand name on this list. It has improved its ranking from 54th to 39th in 2025, yet both private deemed universities—Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (22nd) and KIIT (36th) —ranked ahead of it. That does not mean IIT Bhubaneswar delivers weaker outcomes. Its 2025 placement figures are really strong: ₹67.6 lakh highest package, ₹14.98 lakh average package, and a 90% placement rate. These figures are stronger than the reported figures of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan and KIIT.
The difference comes down to what NIRF measures. NIRF considers teaching resources, research output, and graduation outcomes in its ranking. So, a newer IIT can rank behind older private universities with larger research and alumni bases. IIT Bhubaneswar was established in 2008. But the other two private institutions are much older. If you’re choosing among these three, don’t rely on the NIRF rank alone. Compare placement data and each college’s profile before you decide.
Average Versus Median in Placement Numbers
Here’s the average-to-median gap for the colleges on this list where both figures are available:
| College | Average | Median | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| CET Bhubaneswar (OUTR) | ₹7.5 lakh | ₹7 lakh | About 7% |
| NIT Rourkela | ~₹13.7 lakh | ₹12 lakh | About 12–15% |
| IIT Bhubaneswar | ₹14.98 lakh | ₹12 lakh | About 20% |
| Silicon University | ₹5 lakh | ₹4 lakh | About 20% |
CET Bhubaneswar has the smallest gap at about 7%. This indicates that its placement outcomes are relatively evenly distributed across the batch. In contrast, IIT Bhubaneswar and Silicon University both show a 20% gap. This suggests that higher-than-typical packages are more concentrated among a smaller group of students.
For SOA, KIIT, CV Raman Global, VSSUT, CUTM, and GIFT, we couldn’t calculate the gap because reliable sources didn’t provide either the average or the median. Few colleges publish their median packages in NIRF filings. The median package is very useful because it gives a better picture of what a typical graduate receives.
A Closer Look at Top Engineering Colleges in Odisha
1. NIT Rourkela
NIT Rourkela is Odisha’s highest-ranked engineering college and the only one from the state in the national top 15. Its placement figures vary by year and source, so the year matters.
For 2024–25, 373 recruiters made 1,274 offers. The highest package was ₹62.44 lakh. The average package was reported at ₹13.29–14.10 lakh, depending on the source. The median package was ₹12 lakh. In the previous year, 2023–24, the reported highest package was 1.2 crore. This is significantly higher than the latest reported figure. That figure is still quoted on several websites, but it is not the latest placement figure. BTech CSE recorded a 94.48% placement rate in 2025.
Four-year tuition fees are approximately ₹6–6.4 lakh. The total can rise to around ₹8.5–9.2 lakh when you include hostel and mess costs.
2. Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA), Bhubaneswar
SOA became a deemed university in 2007, with roots in ITER, its constituent engineering college. Its placement report has one important limitation: the university has not officially published an average package figure. Its own placement page states this directly.
For the 2024 batch, the highest reported package was ₹43 lakh, down slightly from ₹46 lakh in 2023. Its NIRF 2025 filing reports a median BTech package of ₹6 lakh. The most recent disclosed placement drive involved 210 companies.
We are not publishing a fee figure for SOA. The sources we checked varied too much to support a single reliable number. We could not find a clear, current engineering programme fee schedule on the university’s own website. If tuition fees matter for your decision, confirm the current fees directly with SOA before applying.
3. KIIT, Bhubaneswar
Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) is a very well-known private deemed university. We got its most reliable placement data from the 2024 placement season. Its 2024 placement data reports an average package of ₹8.5 lakh, a highest of ₹53 lakh, and an 83% placement rate across 700 companies. A reliable source does not provide a median package figure.
The 4-year tuition fee is approximately ₹14 lakh. The total cost can rise to around ₹18-22 lakh when hostel and mess charges are included.
Read More: Top Private Engineering Colleges in India
4. IIT Bhubaneswar
IIT Bhubaneswar is the newest of the three highest-ranked colleges on this list. Among the colleges compared here, it has the strongest verified placement outcomes. Its 2025 figures show the highest package of ₹67.6 lakh, average package of ₹14.98 lakh, median package of ₹12 lakh, and a 90.07% placement rate. Its CSE average package was ₹23.2 lakh.
We could not confirm a fee figure specific to IIT Bhubaneswar. IIT tuition is generally around ₹2–2.5 lakh per year, bringing the 4-year tuition fee to roughly ₹8–10 lakh. This is an estimate based on the general IIT fee structure—not a confirmed IIT Bhubaneswar figure.
5. CV Raman Global University, Bhubaneswar
This institution gained university status in 2020; it was previously C.V. Raman College of Engineering. NIRF 2025 data shows 1,062 of 1,158 graduating UG students were placed, giving a 91.7% placement rate—among the highest on this list. The reported median package was ₹6.45 lakh. We could not find a reliable, verified average package. Four-year fees are approximately ₹6.4–9 lakh, depending on specialisation.
6. VSSUT, Burla
VSSUT is Odisha’s oldest engineering institution and a state government university. Its 2025 placement drive saw 76 recruiters make 639 offers, with a highest package of ₹24 lakh, up from ₹18 lakh in 2024. Its NIRF filing reports a median package of ₹6.38 lakh for the 4-year UG programme.
Reported average packages varied widely across sources. They ranged from under ₹3 lakh to ₹8 lakh, so we could not publish a single reliable average. We have therefore relied on the NIRF median figure.
We are not publishing a fee figure for VSSUT. As a state government university, we expect its fees to be lower than those at the private colleges on this list. It may be similar to CET Bhubaneswar, but we can’t confirm a specific up-to-date figure.
7. CUTM, Paralakhemundi Campus
CUTM’s Paralakhemundi campus is the university’s main campus and follows a skill-integrated, hands-on approach to engineering education. CUTM operates multiple campuses across Odisha, so always check placement figures carefully.
The 2025 placement data for Paralakhemundi reports a highest package of ₹35 lakh and a median package of ₹5.50 lakh. We could not find a reliable, campus-specific average package from the sources we checked. For B.Tech, 4-year tuition fees are approximately ₹4.4–6.6 lakh, depending on the branch. CUTM’s current fee structure lists annual tuition from ₹1.10 lakh for several branches to ₹1.65 lakh for CSE-AIML.
8. Silicon University, Bhubaneswar
Silicon University is formerly known as Silicon Institute of Technology. The 2025 figures show the highest package at ₹ 30.3 lakh, an average package of ₹5 lakh, a median package of ₹4 lakh, and a 74–75% placement rate. These are the most consistent placement figures we found among the smaller private colleges on this list. All three package figures appear nearly identically across multiple independent sources. Four-year fees range from ₹4.23 lakh to ₹9.01 lakh, depending on the specialisation. CSE and Electronics & Electrical Engineering lie on the higher end of this range.
9. CET Bhubaneswar
The Government renamed CET Bhubaneswar as College of Engineering and Technology (OUTR) in 2021. CET Bhubaneswar offers the lowest 4-year fees on this list, at just ₹1.36–2.35 lakh. This is because of its government-subsidised structure. 2025 NIRF placement data reports an average package of ₹7.5 lakh and a median of ₹7 lakh—just a 7% gap. This is one of the smallest average-to-median gaps on this list. The highest package reached ₹24.3 lakh in 2025.
10. GIFT Autonomous, Bhubaneswar
GIFT’s current NIRF Engineering ranking is difficult to verify. We found conflicting claims about its ranking. Some sources state that its ranking ranges from the 201–250 Engineering band to an older Innovation category. We could not confirm a reliable current NIRF Engineering ranking.
We could verify its 2023 placement data. It shows a 94.3% placement rate, with 306 participating companies and 1,150+ offers. The more recently reported median package was ₹4.75 lakh, and 4-year fees are approximately ₹3.6–4.96 lakh.
Read More: What Is The Difference Between BE and BTech?
Government Subsidy Explains Almost The Entire Gap
The biggest reason fees differ across this list is government support, not whether a college is private or deemed. CET Bhubaneswar (₹1.36–2.35 lakh), NIT Rourkela (₹6–9.2 lakh), and IIT Bhubaneswar (estimated ₹8–10 lakh) are all government-subsidised colleges.
Among private colleges, fees do not closely follow NIRF rank. KIIT (rank 36) costs roughly twice as much as Silicon University (band 201–300). GIFT and CUTM fall somewhere in between. If you’re comparing two private colleges, check the fee for your specific branch. Don’t assume that a higher-ranked college will automatically cost more. Some branches at higher-ranked colleges can still be among the lowest-cost options.
A Rough Fee-to-Outcome Estimate
This is a simple comparison of 4-year tuition fees with the most recent median package (or average where no median is available). It estimates how long it would take a starting salary to cover the tuition cost. It is not a financial projection. Hostel and other living costs are excluded where the fee figures are tuition-only.
| College | Estimated Payback Period |
|---|---|
| CET Bhubaneswar | Under 3 months — by far the fastest payback on this list, mainly because of its very low government-subsidised fees. |
| IIT Bhubaneswar | Roughly 7–8 months (estimated) |
| NIT Rourkela | Roughly 7–9 months |
| GIFT Autonomous | Roughly 8–12 months |
| CV Raman Global University | Roughly 1–1.4 years |
| CUTM (Paralakhemundi) | Roughly 1.2–1.5 years |
| Silicon University | Roughly 1.1–2.3 years, using the median package |
| KIIT | Roughly 1.6–2.6 years, using the average because no reliable median is published |
| SOA and VSSUT | Cannot be calculated reliably because we could not confirm the available fee data. |
Admission Routes At A Glance
| College | Entrance Exam |
|---|---|
| IIT Bhubaneswar | JEE Advanced (after clearing JEE Main), through JoSAA counselling. |
| NIT Rourkela | JEE Main, through JoSAA counselling. |
| CET Bhubaneswar (OUTR) | JEE Main, through JoSAA/OJEE counselling. |
| KIIT | KIITEE, the university’s own entrance exam, or JEE Main. |
| SOA | Its own admission process through ITER, alongside JEE Main-based routes; confirm the current process directly. |
| CV Raman Global | Primarily JEE Main scores through OJEE counselling. |
| VSSUT | Primarily JEE Main scores through OJEE counselling. |
| Silicon University | Primarily JEE Main scores through OJEE counselling. |
| CUTM | CUEE (its own entrance exam), CUET, or JEE Main. |
| GIFT Autonomous | JEE Main or OJEE. |
OJEE (Odisha Joint Entrance Examination) is the state-level counselling system used by most non-KIIT, non-SOA private and state colleges, including routes where JEE Main is the underlying score.
Choosing Between Two Real Options
IIT Bhubaneswar or SOA/KIIT?
| IIT Bhubaneswar | SOA/KIIT |
|---|---|
| If you cleared JEE Advanced, IIT Bhubaneswar stands out for its currently verified placement data, which is stronger than both private options. | If NIRF rank and a longer institutional track record matter more to you than IIT Bhubaneswar’s latest verified placement data, SOA or KIIT are reasonable alternatives. |
NIT Rourkela or CET Bhubaneswar?
| NIT Rourkela | CET Bhubaneswar |
|---|---|
| Choose NIT Rourkela for its stronger brand, higher absolute packages, and wider national recruiter base. | Choose CET Bhubaneswar if fees are the main priority. Its median package is still competitive with NIT Rourkela at a fraction of the cost. |
A well-known private university or a smaller, better-documented one?
KIIT and SOA offer stronger name recognition. On the other hand, Silicon University and CET Bhubaneswar have published more consistent, verifiable placement data. If you can’t independently confirm a placement figure, that lack of verification is worth considering when you choose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is IIT Bhubaneswar really ranked below KIIT and SOA?
Yes, according to NIRF Engineering 2025, IIT Bhubaneswar is ranked 39th, compared with 36th for KIIT and 22nd for SOA. NIRF considers research, institutional history, teaching and placement outcomes and other factors in its ranking. IIT Bhubaneswar, established in 2008, is younger than both. However, its 2025 reported placement figures were stronger than both.
What’s the difference between a NIRF numeric rank and a NIRF band?
NIRF gives exact ranks only to the top 100 institutions. Below that, colleges are grouped into bands such as 101-150, 151-200 and 201-300, not the exact order within each band. They are listed alphabetically within the NIRF list. Five of the 10 colleges on this list fall into a NIRF band.
Are government colleges always cheaper than private ones in Odisha?
Generally yes. NIT Rourkela, IIT Bhubaneswar, and CET Bhubaneswar are all low-cost options on the list. Private options vary much more, from roughly ₹4-9 lakh at Silicon University to ₹14-22 lakh at KIIT.
Which exam do I need for these colleges?
JEE Main covers most colleges on the list, either directly or through OJEE counselling. JEE Advanced is specifically required for admission to IIT Bhubaneswar. KIIT and SOA use their own entrance processes, with limited seats available through JEE Main.
Why don’t some colleges on this list publish an average package?
Some colleges, including SOA and VSSUT, publish median figures but not reliable averages. Others publish average figures but not the median packages. We clearly mention this where placement figures could not be reliably verified. We don’t fill these gaps with estimates.
Sources and Methodology
We take NIRF Engineering ranks, bands, and scores from NIRF India. We source placement and fee figures from each college’s official placement reports, where available, and cross-check them against multiple independent sources. When sources differ by more than a small margin, or a figure is not recent enough to rely on, we flag it in the relevant college section.
If you have current, officially sourced figures for any of the gaps flagged in this article—particularly SOA’s and VSSUT’s fees, IIT Bhubaneswar’s exact fee structure, or GIFT Autonomous’s current NIRF Engineering standing—we’d rather update the page than leave the information incomplete.