Macomb Community College uses the name Pastry Arts for its baking credentials and teaches them at Center Campus in Clinton Township. The 2026–27 catalog lists three that stack on one another: a 6-credit Pastry Arts – Assistant Baker Certificate, a 30-credit Pastry Arts Certificate, and a 63-credit Pastry Arts AAS.
What sets the program apart is how much of it is pastry lab time. Seven of the eight certificate courses are four-credit kitchen labs, including separate courses in wedding cakes, chocolate, sugar and gum paste centerpieces, plated desserts, and artisan breads. Details below come from the 2026–27 College Catalog and the college’s Fall 2026 through Spring/Summer 2027 tuition schedule.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Macomb Community College |
| Location | Center Campus, 44575 Garfield Road, Clinton Township, Michigan |
| Credentials | Pastry Arts, AAS; Pastry Arts, Certificate; Pastry Arts – Assistant Baker, Certificate |
| Credits | 63; 30; or 6 |
| Catalog sequence | Four semesters; four semesters; or one semester |
| Billing basis | Billable contact hours (6 for each four-credit lab) |
| ACF accreditation | Stated by the college for the AAS and the 30-credit certificate |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
Macomb describes the three credentials together on its Pastry Arts program page. Every course in the Assistant Baker certificate is part of the 30-credit certificate, and every course in that certificate is part of the AAS.
Pastry Arts, AAS
The Pastry Arts AAS requires 63 credits in a suggested four-semester sequence. Beyond the pastry labs, it adds Culinary Techniques, Culinary Skills Development, Purchasing, Food and Beverage Management, Nutrition, at least four credits of electives, and general education. The catalog states that the degree is accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission and that graduates may receive ACF Certified Pastry Culinarian status.
Pastry Arts, Certificate
The Pastry Arts Certificate is 30 credits with no general education. Its suggested sequence also runs four semesters, at a part-time pace of 6, 4, 8, and 12 credits, because Pastry Arts must be finished before Chocolate Creations and Plated Desserts. Macomb’s program page lists this certificate alongside the AAS as ACFEFAC accredited.
Pastry Arts – Assistant Baker, Certificate
The Assistant Baker Certificate is a two-course, 6-credit credential made up of Sanitation and Production Baking. The catalog describes it as designed for entry-level positions or for furthering a career.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
The 2026–27 catalog lists these required pastry courses. All except Sanitation carry 4 credits and 6 billable contact hours:
- Sanitation (2 credits) and Production Baking: breads, cakes, pies, and cookies (all three credentials)
- Pastry Arts: specialty doughs, tarts, miniature pastries, souffles, ice cream, tortes, and mousse tortes
- Wedding Cakes: several styles built with cost and time in mind
- Chocolate Creations: candies, fillings, molds, decorations, and chocolate centerpieces
- Centerpieces: gum paste and cast sugar display pieces
- Plated Desserts and Artisan and Special Breads
- AAS only: Culinary Techniques, Culinary Skills Development, Purchasing, Food and Beverage Management, Nutrition, and electives such as The Art of Sculpted Cakes or Ice Carving and Design
Pastry Arts, Wedding Cakes, and Artisan and Special Breads each require Sanitation and Production Baking with a C or better plus a ServSafe certificate. The catalog marks Production Baking and Pastry Arts as critical courses and notes that the suggested sequences can be modified with an advisor.
Tuition and Additional Costs
Macomb’s 2026–27 tuition schedule charges per billable contact hour: $113 for Macomb County residents, $212 for other Michigan residents, and $270 for out-of-state students. A $7.50 technology and facilities fee applies to each contact hour, and every term carries a $50 registration fee and a $15 student service fee. When contact hours exceed credit hours, the college bills no more than three additional contact hours per course.
The estimates below use the contact hours of the required courses: 8 for the Assistant Baker certificate, 44 for the Pastry Arts Certificate, and about 83 for the AAS. The AAS figure assumes 12 credits of general education billed at one contact hour per credit and four credits of electives at 6 contact hours.
| Program | Credits | Estimated in-district tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-district tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-state tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pastry Arts, AAS (4 semesters) | 63 | $10,262 | $18,479 | $23,293 |
| Pastry Arts, Certificate (4 semesters) | 30 | $5,562 | $9,918 | $12,470 |
| Pastry Arts – Assistant Baker, Certificate (1 semester) | 6 | $1,029 | $1,821 | $2,285 |
These totals cover tuition, the technology and facilities fee, and the two per-term fees. They leave out course fees, books or Day 1 Access course materials, uniforms, tools, and the optional $35 payment plan fee.
Course fees vary by class, and the tuition schedule does not list amounts for the pastry labs. Macomb directs students to its Self-Service course search for the billable contact hours and extra fees attached to each section. The tuition, fees and payment page has current rates. The college does not publish uniform or tool costs for the program, so ask the department before the first lab.
Admissions and Financial Aid
The catalog lists no separate program application for Pastry Arts. New students create a Macomb Admissions Account, submit the application there, and then follow the steps the account lists to become an admitted student. Production Baking has no prerequisite, only Sanitation as a corequisite, so the first baking lab can be taken in a student’s first semester.
Macomb does not state financial aid eligibility for each pastry credential. Students counting on a Pell Grant or other federal aid should confirm with the Financial Aid office, especially for the 6-credit Assistant Baker certificate taken on its own. The college’s cost and aid pages also describe Michigan Reconnect and other tuition-free options for eligible residents.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
The catalog points graduates toward pastry shops, hotels and restaurants, country clubs, catering facilities, and institutional food services. Sanitation satisfies a certification requirement for the American Culinary Federation, and the Purchasing course in the AAS can lead to a National Restaurant Association ManageFirst certificate after a successful exam.
The AAS shares several courses with Macomb’s Culinary Arts AAS, and the catalog labels International Kitchen, A la Carte Dining, and Garde Manger as dual electives for students pursuing both degrees. For bachelor’s plans, the catalog refers students to the Office of Articulation and Transfer. It does not name a specific agreement for Pastry Arts.
Which Macomb Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Pastry Arts – Assistant Baker, Certificate | A one-semester start in sanitation and production baking that counts toward the longer credentials |
| Pastry Arts, Certificate | All seven pastry labs without general education, on a part-time schedule |
| Pastry Arts, AAS | The pastry labs plus savory kitchen courses, purchasing, management, and a degree with stated ACF accreditation |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- What course fees are attached to each pastry lab this term?
- Which uniform and tools are required, and what do they cost?
- Can the 30-credit certificate be finished in fewer than four semesters?
- Are day and evening sections offered for the pastry labs?
- Is the certificate I am choosing eligible for federal financial aid?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Macomb Community College before applying.