Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) runs its pastry training as a series of short, intensive lab blocks at its main campus on Richards Avenue. Several baking courses in the Fall 2026 schedule run for just one to four weeks, often meeting several days a week from morning into mid-afternoon. The catalog lists two options: a 25-credit Patisserie Certificate and a Patisserie track within the 60-credit Culinary Arts A.A.S.
Pastry classes in the catalog are capped at 12 students. SFCC says its kitchens are the sole training facility for the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs of New Mexico, and the Culinary Arts Garden on campus grows organic vegetables for the labs. Details below come from the 2026–27 SFCC catalog.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Santa Fe Community College |
| Location | Santa Fe, New Mexico; main campus at 6401 Richards Avenue |
| Credentials | Patisserie Certificate; Culinary Arts A.A.S., Patisserie Track |
| Credits | 25 or 60 credits |
| Length | Two semesters (certificate); five semesters including one summer (A.A.S.) |
| Program maps begin | Fall semester |
| Class size | Pastry labs capped at 12 students |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
Both options belong to the School of Business, Professional Studies and Education and are listed on the Culinary Arts program page. SFCC also offers a Culinary Arts Certificate and a Culinary Fundamentals Certificate, which focus on cooking rather than pastry.
Patisserie Certificate
The Patisserie Certificate prepares students to make pastries, cakes, candies, and ices and to work as a patissier in a professional kitchen. All 25 credits are culinary courses, including a ServSafe manager course. The program map splits the certificate into 12 credits in the fall and 13 in the spring. No general education is required. Some of SFCC’s pages call it the Patissier Certificate.
Culinary Arts A.A.S., Patisserie Track
The Culinary Arts A.A.S. requires students to complete either the Patisserie Certificate or the Culinary Arts Certificate. On the Patisserie track, the full pastry sequence is combined with 15 general education credits and a 26-credit culinary core. That core includes Culinary Fundamentals I and II, Advanced International Cuisine, meat fabrication, Advanced Culinary Skills, and Culinary Nutrition. Students also choose 3 elective credits. The Patisserie A.A.S. program map puts pastry first, over the first fall and spring. After that comes a summer of general education, followed by cooking courses in the second year.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
Both options share this pastry sequence:
- Introduction to Culinary Arts and Basic Baking Skills, with an emphasis on baking science (fall)
- Advanced Baking Techniques: doughs, batters, creams, and fillings (fall)
- Alternative Baking, which covers wheat-free products and baking for allergies and other dietary needs (fall)
- Cake Making and Decorating, followed by Advanced Cake Decoration and Display with multi-tiered cakes, client consultation, and cake pricing (fall)
- International Baking and Pastry (fall), and Bread Baking with starters and artisan doughs (spring)
- Commercial Baking and Chocolate, Sugar and the Plated Dessert (spring)
- Pastry Presentation and Display, a capstone in which students plan and present final projects (spring)
The certificate also includes Sanitation and Safety (the ServSafe Manager course), which is scheduled online in Fall 2026 and Spring 2027. Because many pastry courses are offered in only one semester, students who start off-sequence may need an extra term.
Tuition and Additional Costs
The latest rates on SFCC’s tuition page are labeled 2025–26, and the 2026–27 catalog prints the same figures. In-state, in-district residents pay $54 per credit hour. That rate covers the Santa Fe Public School District, which includes Santa Fe, Glorieta, Madrid, Cerrillos, Lamy, La Cienega, Galisteo, and Tesuque. Other New Mexico residents pay $67. Out-of-state students pay $67 per credit for six or fewer credits and $158 for seven or more. Tuition stops rising at 12 credits and stays flat through 18: $648, $804, or $1,896 a semester. Required fees add $25.50 per credit: $12 for service, $1.50 for student government and activities, and $12 for technology. Using the program maps:
| Program | Credits | Estimated in-state tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-state tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patisserie Certificate (fall 12 credits, spring 13 credits) | 25 | $1,934 | $4,430 |
| Culinary Arts A.A.S., Patisserie Track (semesters of 15, 16, 6, 13, and 10 credits) | 60 | $4,338 | $9,200 |
In-state figures use the in-district rate, SFCC’s lowest. At the out-of-district rate, the estimates rise to about $2,246 for the certificate and $5,014 for the A.A.S. The A.A.S. figures use per-credit tuition for the 6-credit summer and the 10-credit final spring. The estimates do not cover course fees, books, uniforms, knives, or living costs.
Course fees appear in the class schedule. In the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 listings, they range from $25 for Bread Baking to $125 for Commercial Baking and for Pastry Presentation and Display. The certificate’s courses total about $900 in fees. The A.A.S. culinary core adds about $475 more. Current rates are on the tuition and fees page.
Admissions and Financial Aid
SFCC has open admission. Applicants submit the college’s application and declare a major. Those transferring credit request official transcripts from their previous colleges. A few courses carry prerequisites, such as Basic Baking Skills before most advanced pastry labs. The college posts deadlines, and advisors in the Welcome and Advising Center can help with course planning.
Federal aid requires enrollment in a degree or eligible certificate program, so certificate students should confirm eligibility with financial aid. According to SFCC, the New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship, combined with other state aid, can cover up to 100% of tuition and required fees for eligible New Mexico residents. It requires no separate application, but SFCC asks for a current FAFSA. Coverage lasts up to 90 credit hours or through an associate degree.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
The certificate targets work as a patissier in any professional kitchen. The A.A.S. is built around the 12 areas of general knowledge recommended by the American Culinary Federation. SFCC also points to food truck work and apprenticeships with Santa Fe restaurants and caterers. Students can add a culinary practicum or internship as an elective.
The catalog notes that A.A.S. degrees prepare students for entry-level jobs and are generally not designed for transfer to four-year schools. Students considering a bachelor’s degree should meet with an advisor early and review the catalog’s Transfer of Credit section.
Which SFCC Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Patisserie Certificate | A two-semester, pastry-only credential with no general education, taught in small, intensive lab blocks |
| Culinary Arts A.A.S., Patisserie Track | The full pastry sequence first, then a second year of cooking, nutrition, and general education leading to an associate degree |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- Can I start the Patisserie Certificate in spring, or should I wait for fall?
- How do the multi-week lab blocks fit with a job, and are evening pastry sections ever offered?
- Is the Patisserie Certificate eligible for Pell Grants and other federal aid?
- What uniform, knife, and tool purchases are required, and when?
- Will 2026–27 tuition stay at the posted 2025–26 rates, and does my address fall inside the college district?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Santa Fe Community College before applying.