Baker College teaches baking and pastry through its Culinary Institute of Michigan (CIM), which has two teaching sites: a three-story building in Muskegon and a second facility in Port Huron. Both sites offer the same credential, a 60-credit Baking and Pastry Associate of Applied Science. Baker does not list a shorter baking certificate in its 2026–27 catalog.
Because Baker is a private college, it charges one program rate regardless of where a student lives, and that rate is higher than Michigan community college tuition. The degree is built around five 120-hour pastry labs and carries American Culinary Federation Education Foundation accreditation at both locations. Figures below come from the 2026–27 Baker College catalog and the 2026–27 tuition and fee schedule.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Baker College, Culinary Institute of Michigan |
| Locations | 336 W. Clay Ave., Muskegon, and 2000 St. Clair St., Port Huron, Michigan |
| Credential | Baking and Pastry, AAS |
| Total credits | 60 (48 major, 12 general education) |
| Typical length | 4 semesters on average, per the college |
| Format | On campus; major courses are not offered online |
| Program accreditation | ACFEF Accrediting Commission, Muskegon and Port Huron |
| Tuition rate | $600 per credit for CIM programs, 2026–27 |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
CIM lists three associate degrees: Baking and Pastry, Culinary Arts, and Food and Beverage Management. Only the first is a baking credential, and there is no certificate or diploma version of it.
Baking and Pastry, AAS
The Baking and Pastry, AAS requires 60 semester hours: 48 in the major and 12 in general education. The college’s program page describes it as a two-year degree averaging four semesters. Classic Pastry Fundamentals, Petit Fours and Plated Desserts, and Café and Bakery Operations must each be passed with a C or better to graduate.
One detail differs between the two sources. The program page says the degree includes a 200-hour supervised work experience, while the catalog lets students choose between CIM Work Experience (3 credits) and Organizational Behavior and Management (3 credits). Ask which rule applies to your start term.
Muskegon or Port Huron
The curriculum is the same at both sites. In Muskegon, students help run the COURSES restaurant and The Sweet Spot, an on-site pastry and coffee shop open to the public. The Port Huron building has open-kitchen teaching spaces and its own COURSES restaurant; the college does not list a separate pastry shop there. Residence halls are available at both locations.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
Baking courses account for 29 of the 48 major credits. The 2026–27 catalog lists:
- Baking Science (1 credit, lecture) and Baking Fundamentals (4 credits): scaling, mixing methods, breads, doughs and starters, choux, and pies
- Nutritional Baking (4 credits)
- Classic Pastry Fundamentals (4 credits): classic cakes and entremets
- Petit Fours and Plated Desserts (4 credits) and Chocolate and Confections (4 credits)
- Showpiece and Specialty Cake Design (4 credits): wedding and occasion cakes and showpiece construction
- Café and Bakery Operations (4 credits)
- Food Safety and Sanitation, Culinary Math, Sustainability in the Food Service Industry, and Food Service Career Skills (6 credits combined)
- Purchasing and Product Identification, Menu Planning and Analysis, and Food and Beverage Management (10 credits combined)
- CIM Work Experience or Organizational Behavior and Management (3 credits)
Baker describes Baking Fundamentals, Classic Pastry Fundamentals, Petit Fours and Plated Desserts, Chocolate and Confections, and Showpiece and Specialty Cake Design as 120-hour lab courses. The sanitation course uses ServSafe materials and ends with the ServSafe certification exam. Culinary Math satisfies the general education math requirement.
Tuition and Additional Costs
Baker’s 2026–27 schedule applies the same rates to in-state and out-of-state students. The Culinary Institute of Michigan is billed at $600 per credit hour, compared with $465 for Baker’s general undergraduate programs. Every undergraduate also pays a $350 technology fee each semester. Using 60 credits at the CIM rate and the college’s four-semester average:
| Program | Credits | Estimated tuition and fees (all students) |
|---|---|---|
| Baking and Pastry, AAS (4 semesters) | 60 | $37,400 |
That figure is $36,000 in tuition plus $1,400 in technology fees. It assumes all 60 credits, including general education, are billed at the CIM rate, which is how the schedule presents the program; ask the college to confirm. It excludes course fees, the one-time $100 new student confirmation fee, textbooks, housing, and meals.
CIM course fees cover knives and uniforms. The schedule lists $440 per course on CUL 1010, CUL 1510, and BAK 1110 for culinary and baking students. Two of those courses, CUL 1010 and BAK 1110, are in the baking degree, which adds $880. Residence halls at Muskegon and Port Huron are listed at $2,700 per semester for a shared room. A $400 per credit CIM rate is listed for eligible military students and spouses. See Baker’s tuition and fee schedule for the full list.
Admissions and Financial Aid
Baker’s undergraduate admission steps are to complete the free application, send transcripts, and file the FAFSA. The college describes itself as test-optional. Baker starts semesters in fall, spring, and summer and posts the dates each year, but it does not publish which terms the first baking labs begin at each CIM site, so confirm the entry term with admissions.
Baker advertises institutional scholarships and says its advisors review federal aid, state aid, and transfer credit with each applicant. Because the published rate is well above community college tuition, request a full aid offer before committing.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
Baker names pastry chef, assistant chocolatier, cake designer, and bread baker as target roles. The catalog states that the Muskegon and Port Huron Baking and Pastry program is accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission and that graduates are eligible to become Certified Pastry Culinarians upon graduation. CIM also holds the Recognition of Quality Culinary Education designation from the World Association of Chefs’ Societies.
Students thinking about a bachelor’s degree, at Baker or elsewhere, should ask how the 48 major credits and 12 general education credits would be counted.
Which Baker College Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Baking and Pastry, AAS in Muskegon | A West Michigan location with a student-run pastry and coffee shop as well as a restaurant |
| Baking and Pastry, AAS in Port Huron | The same degree on the east side of the state, with housing next to the culinary building |
| A community college baking certificate first | A shorter, lower-cost credential, since Baker offers the degree only |
| Culinary Arts or Food and Beverage Management, AAS | Savory cooking or front-of-house management rather than a pastry focus |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- Are general education credits billed at $600 or at the $465 general undergraduate rate?
- Is the 200-hour work experience required, or can Organizational Behavior and Management replace it?
- Which semester do the first baking labs start in Muskegon and in Port Huron?
- What do the $440 course fees include, and are any tools or uniforms purchased separately?
- What would my net cost be after Baker scholarships and state and federal aid?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Baker College before applying.