Nevada has two public colleges with baking or pastry credentials: the College of Southern Nevada in the Las Vegas area and Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno. Both offer a Certificate of Achievement of 32 to 35 credits, and the College of Southern Nevada also offers a 66-credit Pastry Arts associate degree.
Both colleges belong to the Nevada System of Higher Education and charge the same resident registration fee of $136.25 per credit for 2026–27, plus campus fees. A certificate is estimated at about $5,300 to $5,500 for Nevada residents, and the associate degree at about $11,000.
Baking and Pastry Programs at a Glance
| School | Location | Programs, Credits and Estimated Costs |
|---|---|---|
| College of Southern Nevada | Las Vegas | Pastry Arts AAS: 66 credits – about $11,006 Pastry Arts Certificate of Achievement: 32 credits – about $5,336 |
| Truckee Meadows Community College | Reno | Baking and Pastry Certificate of Achievement: 35 credits – about $5,491 |
Estimates use each college’s 2026–27 Nevada resident registration fee and mandatory per-credit and per-term fees over its published plan, or an assumed four semesters for the College of Southern Nevada AAS, before financial aid. They exclude course fees on pastry labs, books, uniforms, tools, and living costs. Out-of-state and Western Undergraduate Exchange estimates appear in each profile.
Which Nevada Baking Program May Fit You?
Earn a Baking Certificate in Southern Nevada
College of Southern Nevada offers a 32-credit Pastry Arts Certificate of Achievement on a published three-semester plan. It includes 200 hours of work experience.
Earn a Pastry Associate Degree
The College of Southern Nevada‘s 66-credit Pastry Arts AAS is the only baking or pastry degree in the state. It adds chocolate, sugar arts, advanced cake design, and quantity baking to the certificate’s courses.
Earn a Baking Certificate in Northern Nevada
Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno offers a 35-credit Baking and Pastry Certificate of Achievement over four semesters, with baking labs taught in fall and pastry labs in spring. Most of its coursework can continue into the college’s Culinary Arts AAS.
Certificate or Associate Degree?
Certificates of Achievement
Both Nevada certificates combine baking and pastry labs with food safety, cost control, and work experience. They take three or four semesters because lab courses run in sequence.
Associate Degree
The College of Southern Nevada’s Pastry Arts AAS adds general education and advanced pastry labs. The college’s catalog states that the AAS is accredited by the American Culinary Federation. Truckee Meadows students who want a degree continue into a Culinary Arts AAS, which is not a baking credential.
Tuition and Additional Costs
Nevada residents pay a registration fee of $136.25 per credit at both colleges for 2026–27. Mandatory fees bring the total to $166.75 per credit at the College of Southern Nevada and $155.75 per credit plus $10 per semester at Truckee Meadows. Non-residents taking seven or more credits pay an additional $4,775 per semester, and students from Western Undergraduate Exchange states pay a smaller per-credit surcharge.
Baking students should also budget for:
- Course fees on pastry and baking labs, about $95 to $210 per course
- Uniforms, knife and pastry tool kits
- Food safety certification
- Textbooks and supplies
- Transportation and living expenses
Programs No Longer Listed
Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas closed in 2017, and the Art Institute of Las Vegas, which offered baking and pastry programs, closed in 2019. Great Basin College and Western Nevada College have no culinary or baking program, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas offers hospitality degrees without a baking option. The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas and The Pastry Academy by Amaury Guichon run noncredit training programs that are not college credentials.
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- Which baking and pastry labs are offered each semester, and can I start in spring?
- At which campus do the labs meet?
- What course fees, uniforms, and tool kits are required, and what do they cost?
- Is the certificate eligible for federal financial aid or the Nevada Promise Scholarship?
- Do I qualify for resident or Western Undergraduate Exchange rates?
- Will my certificate courses count toward an associate degree later?
College of Southern Nevada
College of Southern Nevada offers Pastry Arts as its own major, with a 32-credit Certificate of Achievement and a 66-credit AAS that adds chocolate, sugar arts, advanced cake design and quantity baking. The catalog states the AAS is accredited by the American Culinary Federation and ACPHA, and both credentials require 200 hours of work experience. Russell’s Restaurant on the North Las Vegas Campus is the training center for the culinary and pastry programs.
See the College of Southern Nevada baking profile for curriculum, costs, and admissions details.
Truckee Meadows Community College
Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno offers a 35-credit Certificate of Achievement in Baking and Pastry that pairs four baking and pastry labs with hot food fundamentals, a food cost course and 3 credits of work experience. The recommended schedule runs four semesters, with baking labs taught in fall and pastry labs in spring. Most of the coursework can continue into the college’s 67-unit Culinary Arts AAS.
See the Truckee Meadows Community College baking profile for curriculum, costs, and admissions details.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Nevada schools offer baking or pastry programs?
Two public colleges: the College of Southern Nevada and Truckee Meadows Community College.
Does Nevada offer a baking and pastry associate degree?
Yes. The College of Southern Nevada offers a 66-credit Pastry Arts AAS. Truckee Meadows Community College offers a certificate only.
What is the shortest baking program in Nevada?
The College of Southern Nevada’s Pastry Arts Certificate of Achievement requires 32 credits over three semesters. Truckee Meadows’ Baking and Pastry Certificate of Achievement requires 35 credits over four.
How much does a baking program cost in Nevada?
For Nevada residents, estimated registration and mandatory fees are about $5,336 for the College of Southern Nevada certificate, about $5,491 for the Truckee Meadows certificate, and about $11,006 for the College of Southern Nevada AAS, before course fees.
Can I study baking online in Nevada?
No. Both programs teach their baking and pastry labs on campus. See the online baking schools page for programs that enroll students in other formats.
Program requirements and costs can change. Confirm all details with the school before applying.