Anne Arundel Community College offers two baking and pastry pathways through its Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute. Students can complete a focused 21-credit Baking and Pastry Arts certificate or earn a 61-credit Hotel/Restaurant Management AAS with a Baking and Pastry Arts concentration.
Both options emphasize hands-on production in professional kitchens. The associate degree adds hospitality management, purchasing, cost control, general education, and an internship.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Anne Arundel Community College |
| Locations | Arnold and Glen Burnie, Maryland |
| Credentials | Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate; Hotel/Restaurant Management AAS, Baking and Pastry Arts concentration |
| Credits | 21-credit certificate; 61-credit associate degree |
| Length | About one year; about two years |
| Format | Campus-based |
| Accreditation | Associate program accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
AACC’s culinary and pastry arts programs prepare students for bakery, restaurant, hotel, grocery, club, catering, and other food-service settings.
Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate
The 21-credit certificate provides a compact route through the core pastry curriculum. Students study professional sanitation, introductory baking and pastry, intermediate bread production, intermediate cake production, European pastries, tortes and gateaux, and advanced pastry production.
AACC states that county residents can complete this certificate for less than $3,500 in tuition and standard fees. This pathway may fit students who want focused job preparation without the general education courses required for an associate degree.
Hotel/Restaurant Management AAS: Baking and Pastry Arts
The 61-credit associate degree combines technical pastry courses with hospitality and business training. The baking concentration includes introductory baking, intermediate breads, intermediate cakes, European pastries, advanced pastry production, chocolates, confections, entremets, food science, and a program elective.
Students also complete courses in hospitality, sanitation, food and beverage operations, purchasing and cost controls, communication, mathematics, technology, science, and world culture. A three-credit internship gives students supervised workplace experience.
Hands-On Training
The curriculum moves from baking fundamentals into breads, cakes, pastries, tortes, gateaux, chocolates, candies, nut brittles, nougats, pralines, marzipan, confections, and composed desserts. Students use commercial equipment and learn professional production, sanitation, organization, and presentation standards.
All culinary lab courses require a uniform, and most require a knife kit. Students should ask the Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute for its current uniform, tool, and supply list before the first semester.
Tuition and Estimated Program Cost
For 2026–2027, AACC charges Anne Arundel County residents $135 per credit plus standard fees of about $28 per credit and a $25 registration fee. Based on those rates, estimated tuition and standard fees are:
| Program | Credits | Estimated in-county tuition and standard fees |
|---|---|---|
| Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate | 21 | About $3,448 |
| Hotel/Restaurant Management AAS, Baking and Pastry Arts | 61 | About $9,968 |
These estimates exclude course-specific laboratory charges, textbooks, uniforms, knife kits, baking tools, ingredients, transportation, housing, and personal expenses. Residents of other Maryland counties and other states pay higher tuition. Review AACC’s current tuition and fees before enrolling.
Admissions and Financial Aid
AACC follows an open-admission policy for credit students. New students submit the college’s credit application, provide required academic records, complete placement steps when needed, and meet with an advisor before registration.
Eligible students may use federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid. Students should complete the FAFSA early and confirm that their selected certificate or degree qualifies for the aid they plan to use.
Online and Campus Format
The professional baking courses are campus-based because they require commercial kitchens, specialized equipment, and supervised production. AACC may offer some general education or business courses online, but neither baking pathway can be completed fully online.
Career Preparation
Graduates can pursue entry-level work in independent bakeries, restaurant and hotel pastry kitchens, grocery and wholesale bakeries, clubs, catering operations, and commercial food production. The associate degree adds preparation for management-in-training and supervisory roles.
- Baker or production baker
- Pastry cook
- Cake decorator
- Bread baker
- Confectionery assistant
- Bakery supervisor trainee
- Hospitality manager in training
Which AACC Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate | A shorter, lower-cost credential focused on technical baking and pastry skills |
| Baking and Pastry Arts AAS concentration | A two-year degree that adds management, cost control, general education, and an internship |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- Which campus will host each required baking course?
- How often does each course run, and can students attend part time?
- What are the current lab, uniform, knife-kit, and ingredient costs?
- Can all certificate credits apply to the associate degree?
- How does AACC arrange internship placements?
- Which American Culinary Federation credentials can graduates pursue?
- Are any non-lab courses available online?
Program requirements, tuition, and course schedules can change. Confirm all details with Anne Arundel Community College before applying.