Idaho has one college with baking and pastry credentials. The College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls offers a 15-credit Basic Technical Certificate, a 30-credit Intermediate Technical Certificate, and a 60-credit Associate of Applied Science in Baking and Pastry Arts.
The three credentials stack, so a student can stop after one or two semesters or continue to the degree. Other Idaho colleges teach culinary arts or hospitality programs without a baking credential.
Baking and Pastry Programs at a Glance
| School | Location | Programs, Credits and Estimated Costs |
|---|---|---|
| College of Southern Idaho | Twin Falls | Baking and Pastry Arts, Associate of Applied Science: 60 credits – about $9,300 Baking and Pastry Arts, Intermediate Technical Certificate: 30 credits – about $4,650 Baking and Pastry Arts, Basic Technical Certificate: 15 credits – about $2,325 |
Estimates use the College of Southern Idaho’s 2026–27 in-district tuition of $155 per credit, before financial aid. The college publishes no separate mandatory fees, so the figures are tuition only. They exclude textbooks, uniforms, tools, and living costs. Out-of-district and out-of-state estimates appear in the profile.
Which Idaho Baking Program May Fit You?
Earn a Short Baking Certificate
College of Southern Idaho‘s 15-credit Basic Technical Certificate follows a two-semester plan, and the 30-credit Intermediate Technical Certificate builds on it.
Earn a Baking Associate Degree
The College of Southern Idaho‘s 60-credit Baking and Pastry Arts AAS is the only baking degree in Idaho. It includes both certificates along the way.
Study Culinary Arts Elsewhere in Idaho
North Idaho College offers a Culinary Arts AAS, and Lewis-Clark State College offers a hospitality management degree with a culinary pathway. Neither awards a baking credential. Nearby baking programs are on the Washington, Oregon, Utah, and Nevada pages.
Certificate or Associate Degree?
Technical Certificates
Idaho’s career-technical programs award Basic Technical Certificates of about 15 credits and Intermediate Technical Certificates of about 30. At the College of Southern Idaho both are steps inside the degree plan.
Associate Degree
The AAS adds general education and further baking and pastry coursework to the two certificates, for 60 credits over four semesters.
Tuition and Additional Costs
The College of Southern Idaho charges $155 per credit for in-district residents in 2026–27. Idaho residents from outside the district pay an added county fee of $50 per credit, capped at $500 per semester, which their home county may cover with an approved Certificate of Residency. Out-of-state students pay $308 per credit.
Baking students should also budget for:
- Uniforms and tools, which the program lists at about $500
- Textbooks, about $185
- Food safety certification
- Transportation and living expenses
Culinary Programs With Baking Coursework
Two other Idaho colleges teach culinary or hospitality programs. Neither awards a baking credential, and neither has a required stand-alone baking course.
| School | Location | Culinary Credentials, Baking Coursework and Estimated Costs |
|---|---|---|
| North Idaho College | Coeur d’Alene | Culinary Arts AAS: 64–69 credits – about $9,728–$10,184 Culinary Arts Intermediate Technical Certificate: 33–36 credits – about $5,016–$5,320 Baking coursework: baking and pastry are taught inside the Professional Kitchen courses, with no separate baking course |
| Lewis-Clark State College | Lewiston | Hospitality Management AAS, Culinary/Food & Beverage pathway: 60 credits – about $16,452 Food & Beverage Management Intermediate Technical Certificate: 30 credits – about $8,226 Baking coursework: none required; a 3-credit Patisserie Essentials course is in the catalog |
Estimates use each college’s 2026–27 resident rates over its catalog plan: $152 per credit at North Idaho College, charged on up to 18 credits a semester, and a flat $4,113 per full-time semester at Lewis-Clark State College. North Idaho College students work in Emery’s, the student-operated restaurant. Neither college states American Culinary Federation accreditation for these programs.
Residency, County Fees and Reduced Tuition
The College of Southern Idaho charges its $155 in-district rate to residents of Twin Falls, Jerome, Ada, Canyon, Bonneville, and Kootenai counties. Idaho residents from other counties pay an added $50 per credit, up to $500 per semester and $3,000 over a lifetime. The home county can cover that fee: students file a Certificate of Residency with their county clerk at least once a year, and the college credits the fee back when it receives the approved certificate.
Idaho residents who want to study baking in another state can use the Western Undergraduate Exchange, which limits tuition at participating public colleges in western states to no more than 150 percent of the resident rate for the programs each college includes. Baking programs in member states are on the Washington, Oregon, Utah, and Nevada pages. The College of Southern Idaho itself publishes no Western Undergraduate Exchange rate for incoming students.
Programs No Longer Listed
The College of Western Idaho suspended new enrollment in its Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts programs in 2014 and taught out remaining students through 2015; its current catalog lists neither. North Idaho College and Lewis-Clark State College offer culinary and hospitality programs without a baking-titled credential.
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- The program admits once a year. When is the next start, and how do I apply?
- Do I qualify for the in-district rate, or will my county pay the out-of-district fee?
- What uniforms, tools, and textbooks are required, and what do they cost?
- Is the Basic Technical Certificate eligible for federal financial aid on its own?
- Can I work while enrolled, given the lab schedule?
College of Southern Idaho
College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls runs a stand-alone Baking and Pastry Arts program with three stacked credentials: a 15-credit Basic Technical Certificate, a 30-credit Intermediate Technical Certificate, and a 60-credit AAS. The curriculum centers on four six-credit bakeshop courses with 135 lab hours each, plus service labs in the campus Desert Café. It is an in-person, limited enrollment program that admits once a year on a first-come, first-served basis.
See the College of Southern Idaho baking profile for curriculum, costs, and admissions details.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Idaho schools offer baking or pastry programs?
One. The College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls offers two technical certificates and an associate degree in Baking and Pastry Arts.
Does Idaho offer a baking and pastry associate degree?
Yes. The College of Southern Idaho offers a 60-credit Baking and Pastry Arts AAS.
How much does a baking program cost in Idaho?
For in-district residents, estimated tuition is about $2,325 for the 15-credit certificate, $4,650 for the 30-credit certificate, and $9,300 for the AAS.
Do Idaho residents outside the district pay more at the College of Southern Idaho?
Yes, an added $50 per credit up to $500 per semester, unless their home county pays it through an approved Certificate of Residency.
Does North Idaho College have a baking program?
No. Its Culinary Arts AAS and certificate teach baking and pastry inside general kitchen courses, with no separate baking course or credential.
Can I study baking online in Idaho?
No Idaho college offers a baking credential online. 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.