Skagit Valley College runs its baking and pastry training through the Culinary Arts department on the Mount Vernon campus, in the heart of the agricultural Skagit Valley. The college offers a 97-credit Baking and Pastry AAS and a 16-credit Culinary Arts, Basic Bakery Competence Micro-Certificate built from the same first-year baking courses.
SVC describes its Baking and Pastry program as accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation, and it says graduates can be ready to pursue the ACF Certified Pastry Culinarian credential. Both programs start in fall only. Details below come from the 2026–2027 SVC catalog and the college’s 2026–27 tuition tables.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Skagit Valley College |
| Location | Mount Vernon, Washington |
| Credentials | Baking and Pastry AAS; Culinary Arts, Basic Bakery Competence Micro-Certificate |
| Credits | 97 or 16 credits |
| Length | AAS: 6 quarters in the program map; micro-certificate: not stated |
| Start term | Fall quarter only |
| Accreditation | ACF Education Foundation, as stated by the college |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
SVC’s Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry page lists two AAS options and two certificates. The Baking and Pastry AAS and the Basic Bakery Competence micro-certificate are the baking-titled choices. The Culinary Arts AAS and the Professional Cooking Certificate are cooking-focused alternatives.
Baking and Pastry AAS
The Baking and Pastry AAS requires 97 credits over a six-quarter program map. First-year courses cover culinary math, sanitation, cooking fundamentals, and a spring block of Baking Theory and a 10-credit Baking Lab.
The second year moves into chocolate, sugar, and cake decorating, a 10-credit Bakery Management and Production course, cost control, and a 10-credit Advanced Baking and Pastry Lab. It ends with a capstone project. General education includes English Composition I, Interpersonal Communication, and Nutrition, and cooperative education credit is split across the two years.
Culinary Arts, Basic Bakery Competence Micro-Certificate
The Basic Bakery Competence Micro-Certificate totals 16 credits: Safety and Sanitation (3), Baking Theory (3), and Baking Lab (10), each with a C or higher. The catalog lists Introduction to Culinary Arts (CUL 170) as a prerequisite for Baking Lab, so students without it should plan for that 1-credit fall course as well.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
Baking coursework in the 2026–2027 catalog includes:
- Baking Theory and Baking Lab (cookies, quick breads, pies, cakes, icings, yeast breads, and classic pastries)
- Chocolate, Sugar and Cake Decorating Techniques
- Bakery Management and Production
- Advanced Baking and Pastry Lab, and Advanced Breads and Pastry Theory
- Baking and Pastry Capstone Project
- Controlling Foodservice Costs, and Wine and Beverage Studies
- Sustainable Food System Practices, Cooking Fundamentals, and The Cold Kitchen
The catalog describes a focus on global flavor principles, diverse diets, and different flours and ingredients. Culinary Math requires appropriate placement, and students below English 101 placement will need extra coursework.
Tuition and Additional Costs
SVC’s 2026–27 tuition tables charge Washington residents $136.14 per credit for the first 10 credits and $67.18 per credit for credits 11–18. Out-of-state residents pay $204.19 and $74.00. Mandatory fees are charged per credit: a $5.50 general fee (capped at $82.50), a $2 learning resources fee, a $6 student technology fee (capped at $72), a $1.50 capital fee (capped at $15), and a $15 universal technology fee.
The AAS estimate follows the catalog’s quarter-by-quarter credits (14, 14, 18, 18, 16, 17). Since the micro-certificate has no published schedule, its estimate assumes Safety and Sanitation in one quarter and the 13-credit baking block in the next. Both include the catalog’s course fees for required courses: $1,575 for the AAS and $330 for the micro-certificate.
| Program | Credits | Estimated in-state tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-state tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baking and Pastry AAS (6 quarters) | 97 | $14,884 | $19,220 |
| Basic Bakery Competence Micro-Certificate (2 quarters assumed) | 16 | $2,771 | $3,676 |
Textbooks, uniforms, shoes, transportation, and living costs are not included, and neither is CUL 170 for micro-certificate students who still need it. International students pay a higher rate, and SVC publishes separate qualified military rates.
The catalog fee list sets $200 for Baking Lab and each advanced lab, $130 for Safety and Sanitation, and $150 for Introduction to Culinary Arts. The department’s books, tools, and uniforms list calls for two white chef coats with the SVC logo, two pairs of black chef pants, black slip-resistant shoes, a chef’s hat, and CIA baking textbooks.
Admissions and Financial Aid
Students apply to SVC through the college’s step-by-step application guide, complete placement for math and English, and then build an educational plan with an advisor, which SVC requires of all students. Both baking programs begin in fall quarter only, and the college posts deadlines.
Financial aid starts with the FAFSA, or the WASFA for eligible students who cannot file the FAFSA. The college does not state on the program pages whether the 16-credit micro-certificate qualifies for federal aid, so ask financial aid before relying on it.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
The catalog lists baker, chef or head cook, and restaurant cook as sample careers. For the 2023–2024 year, SVC reported a 50% three-year graduation rate and 55% job placement within nine months for Baking and Pastry.
The AAS is a workforce degree, not a transfer degree. It does qualify graduates to apply to SVC’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Management. Other bachelor’s programs may accept some credits, so work with an advisor and the department chair early.
Which Skagit Valley Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Basic Bakery Competence Micro-Certificate | A short, lab-heavy introduction to bakeshop fundamentals and sanitation |
| Baking and Pastry AAS | Two years of baking, bakery management, and advanced pastry in an ACF-accredited program, plus a route into SVC’s BAS in Management |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- In which quarters are Baking Theory and Baking Lab offered for micro-certificate students?
- Do I need CUL 170 before Baking Lab if I only want the micro-certificate?
- Is the micro-certificate eligible for Pell Grants or state aid?
- How are cooperative education placements arranged?
- What do uniforms, embroidery, and textbooks cost in total?
- How does the program prepare students for the Certified Pastry Culinarian exam?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Skagit Valley College before applying.