Savannah Technical College teaches baking and pastry through two credentials in its Culinary Arts program: a 59-credit Culinary Baking and Pastry Arts Diploma and a 66-credit Culinary Baking and Pastry Arts Associate of Applied Science. The culinary department is based at the Savannah Culinary Institute, a 14,000-square-foot facility at 7 West Bay Street in downtown Savannah.
Both credentials share the same eight-course BAKE sequence, which runs from baking science and artisan bread to confections, chocolate, and retail production. The diploma pairs that sequence with foundational English and math. The AAS replaces those courses with a college-level general education core and adds a nutrition course. Savannah Tech does not currently list a baking-only technical certificate.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Savannah Technical College |
| Campus | Savannah Culinary Institute, 7 West Bay Street, Savannah, Georgia |
| Credentials | Culinary Baking and Pastry Arts AAS (CBA3); Culinary Baking and Pastry Arts Diploma (CBA2) |
| Length | Minimum of five terms; minimum of four terms |
| Credits | 66; or 59 credits |
| Format | In person; the college lists night and weekend availability for its culinary area |
| Program area | Culinary Arts |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
Savannah Tech lists both baking credentials on its Culinary Arts program page, alongside its general culinary diploma, culinary AAS, and two short culinary certificates. The catalog describes the baking programs as preparation for roles such as baker or pastry chef.
Culinary Baking and Pastry Arts Associate of Applied Science
The Culinary Baking and Pastry Arts AAS requires 66 credits over a minimum of five terms. Its general education core includes Composition and Rhetoric plus one course each from the social sciences, mathematics, and humanities areas, and one program-specific elective.
Occupational coursework covers culinary fundamentals, safety and sanitation, principles of cooking, culinary leadership, and Introduction to Nutrition and Sustainable Practices, followed by the full baking and pastry sequence. The nutrition course is the main technical addition over the diploma.
Culinary Baking and Pastry Arts Diploma
The Culinary Baking and Pastry Arts Diploma requires 59 credits over a minimum of four terms. It includes eight credits of basic skills courses: Fundamentals of English I, Foundations of Mathematics, and Interpersonal Relations and Professional Development.
Every occupational course in the diploma also appears in the AAS. A diploma graduate who later wants the degree would mainly need the college-level general education core and the nutrition course, subject to an advisor’s review of their catalog year.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
The 2026–27 catalog lists the same baking and pastry sequence for both credentials. Coursework includes:
- Baking Principles and Baking Science
- European Cakes and Tortes
- Artisan Baking
- Hot and Cold Plated Dessert
- Cake Design and Decorating
- Confection Artistry and Chocolate Artistry
- Dessert and Bread Retail Production
- Culinary fundamentals, safety and sanitation, principles of cooking, and culinary leadership
According to the college, the Savannah Culinary Institute includes modern kitchens, a student-run bakery, a café, and a 74-seat restaurant, and students bake bread in custom-built ovens. The program page also lists other campus locations for the broader culinary area, so students should confirm where each baking course meets.
Tuition and Additional Costs
For 2026–27, Savannah Tech charges $107 per credit for in-state students and $214 per credit for out-of-state students. Mandatory fees total $426 per semester, covering activity, registration, student insurance, instructional technology, special instructional, campus safety, printing, and parking and facility fees. The estimates below apply those figures to the published credit totals and minimum terms:
| Program | Credits | Estimated in-state tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-state tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Culinary Baking and Pastry Arts AAS (5 terms) | 66 | $9,192 | $16,254 |
| Culinary Baking and Pastry Arts Diploma (4 terms) | 59 | $8,017 | $14,330 |
These figures cover tuition and mandatory semester fees only. They leave out books, uniforms, knives and tools, the $25 application fee, housing, and transportation. A student who needs more than the minimum number of terms would also pay the $426 fee package for each added semester.
The catalog’s program-specific fee list includes a $15 malpractice fee for culinary and baking students and course materials charges of $53.19 and $139.99 for College and Career Success Skills. Diploma students also have a $53.32 materials charge for Interpersonal Relations and Professional Development. Residents of Jasper and Beaufort counties in South Carolina may request a waiver of out-of-state tuition, which carries a $150 per semester reciprocity fee. Review the 2026–27 tuition and fees page before enrolling.
Admissions and Financial Aid
Applicants must be at least 16 and generally need a high school diploma or GED. Savannah Tech’s enrollment checklist walks through the steps: apply online and pay the $25 fee, submit transcripts, verify lawful presence and Georgia residency, apply for aid, and meet with an academic advisor. Placement testing may be required unless a student qualifies for an exemption, such as a final high school GPA of 2.0 or higher.
The catalog sets higher Next Gen ACCUPLACER minimums for the AAS (reading 236, writing 249, QRAS 245) than for the diploma (reading 224, writing 236, arithmetic 229). Students can file the FAFSA using school code 005618 and apply for state aid such as the HOPE Grant through GAFutures. The college notes that HOPE does not cover mandatory fees, books, or supplies.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
Graduates are prepared for entry-level bakery, pastry, and food-service work. The catalog reports a 100% placement rate for AY2022 in both programs and graduation rates of 87.5% for the diploma and 75.0% for the AAS in AY2023. Work in the institute’s bakery, café, and restaurant gives students practice in settings that serve the public.
The AAS is an applied career degree. Students who may later pursue a bachelor’s degree should ask the receiving school how the general education core and the CHEF and BAKE courses would be evaluated before they enroll.
Which Savannah Tech Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Culinary Baking and Pastry Arts Diploma | The complete baking and pastry sequence in as few as four terms, with foundational English, math, and professional development courses |
| Culinary Baking and Pastry Arts AAS | The same baking training plus a college-level general education core and a nutrition course, in a minimum of five terms |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- Are all BAKE courses taught at the Savannah Culinary Institute, or do some meet at another campus?
- Which terms can new baking and pastry students start, and are evening or weekend sections offered for the BAKE sequence?
- What uniforms, knives, tools, and textbooks must I buy, and what do they cost?
- The catalog lists an ACF certification rate of 0%. What does that figure measure, and does the baking and pastry program itself hold ACF accreditation?
- If I start in the diploma, how many additional credits would I need to finish the AAS?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Savannah Technical College before applying.