Waukesha County Technical College in Pewaukee runs its Baking and Pastry Production technical diploma primarily in the evening, four days a week, a schedule that may suit students who work during the day. The 26-credit diploma takes about one year and includes 576 lab hours, according to the college.
Students who want a management credential can continue into the 61-credit Baking and Pastry Management associate of applied science degree. It uses the same baking core and adds accounting, cost control, sales, hospitality law, an internship, and two bakeshop production and management courses. Both programs start in August, and information below comes from WCTC’s 2026–27 catalog and program pages.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) |
| Location | Pewaukee, Wisconsin |
| Credentials | Baking and Pastry Management AAS (10-314-2); Baking and Pastry Production technical diploma (31-314-3) |
| Credits | 61 or 26 credits |
| Length | 2 years for the AAS; 1 year for the diploma |
| Start date | August |
| Schedule | Diploma offered primarily in the evening, four days per week |
| Delivery | On campus |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
WCTC presents the two credentials as a single Baking and Pastry career pathway. Every course in the diploma also appears in the degree, so a diploma graduate can move into the AAS without repeating baking coursework.
Baking and Pastry Production Technical Diploma
The Baking and Pastry Production technical diploma requires 26 credits. It focuses on specialty breads, desserts, pastries, and cake production and decorating, and it ends with a Baking Production capstone that stresses speed, planning, and bakeshop output. The program page names pastry chef, baker, cake decorator, and shift supervisor as possible careers.
Baking and Pastry Management AAS
The Baking and Pastry Management AAS totals 61 credits. Two 4-credit courses, Baking Pastry Production and Management 1 and 2, cover production scheduling, retail packaging, wholesale production, pricing, and inventory control. The program page says students run special promotions and sales through WCTC’s on-campus Food Store and take part in service learning.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
Both credentials share this baking and foodservice core:
- Science of Baking Principles (2 credits)
- Fundamentals of Baking 1 and 2 (2 credits each), covering quick breads, yeast breads, rolls, bagels, and flatbreads
- Cake Production and Decorating (2 credits)
- Custard, Mousse, Plate Dessert (2 credits), including frozen desserts such as gelato and sorbet
- Pies, Tarts and Confections (2 credits), including chocolates, fudges, and truffles
- Culinary for Bakers and Baking Production (2 credits each)
- Applied Food Service Sanitation (1 credit) and Culinary Nutrition (2 credits)
- Explore Hospitality, Hospitality Law and Liability, and Employee Relations and Leadership
The AAS adds accounting fundamentals, sales principles, food, beverage and labor cost control, a 2-credit culinary internship, Employment Success, and 15 credits of general studies in English composition, business math, economics, oral communication, and psychology. WCTC requires a C or better in core courses and a 2.0 program GPA. The catalog lists approved substitutes for several baking courses, which can help students returning with earlier WCTC credits.
Tuition and Additional Costs
WCTC’s tuition and aid page lists rates effective May 2026 of $157.45 per credit for Wisconsin residents and $236.18 per credit for out-of-state students taking in-person courses. All students also pay an $11.05 per-credit activity fee, a $6 minimum material fee per course, and $4.50 per semester for mandatory accident insurance. Minnesota residents are exempt from out-of-state fees, so they would pay the in-state amounts below. WCTC lists the diploma as a one-year program, and these estimates assume two semesters for it and four for the two-year degree:
| Program | Credits | Estimated in-state tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-state tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baking and Pastry Management AAS (25 courses, 4 semesters) | 61 | $10,447 | $15,249 |
| Baking and Pastry Production technical diploma (13 courses, 2 semesters) | 26 | $4,468 | $6,515 |
These figures cover tuition, the activity fee, minimum material fees, and accident insurance. They do not include the $30 application fee, any course material fees above the minimum, textbooks, parking, or the $30 per-semester enrollment fee for students who choose a payment plan.
Both program pages list a $538 baking kit, black non-slip lace-up shoes at about $50, and a PC. Uniforms are estimated at $200 for the diploma and $120 for the AAS. For diploma students, the kit, uniforms, and shoes add about $788 before textbooks.
Admissions and Financial Aid
Applicants apply online and pay a $30 application fee. For the AAS, WCTC also asks for one proof of reading, writing, and math readiness: a high school transcript with GPA through at least 11th grade, ACT or ACCUPLACER scores, a GED (2014 series) score of 165 or higher, or qualifying prior college coursework with a C or better. Students with none of these can take the ACCUPLACER. Both programs are open to qualified high school applicants, and the college posts deadlines on each program page.
WCTC’s program pages state that students in both credentials are eligible for financial aid, including loans and scholarships. The college’s FAFSA code is 005294. WCTC does not state Pell eligibility separately for each program, so confirm grant eligibility with the financial aid office.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
WCTC lists pastry chef, baker, and cake decorator for both credentials, with shift supervisor for diploma graduates and bakery manager or supervisor for AAS graduates. The degree’s outcomes add supervision skills, financial analysis, and sustainability to the baking and sanitation outcomes the two programs share. Hospitality and culinary students can also gain experience at the college’s training restaurants, The Classic Room and The Classic Bistro.
WCTC has credit transfer agreements with a number of four-year schools that may let AAS graduates enter a bachelor’s program, sometimes at junior standing. Students considering that route should check which agreements apply to this degree before choosing electives or substitutes.
Which WCTC Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Baking and Pastry Production technical diploma | An evening, one-year program with heavy lab time while working or caring for family during the day |
| Baking and Pastry Management AAS | The same baking core plus bakeshop management, cost control, an internship, and general education |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- Are the AAS baking labs also held in the evening, or only the diploma sections?
- Does the diploma run in two semesters, or does the one-year plan include a summer term?
- Which baking courses carry material fees above the $6 minimum?
- Can the $538 baking kit be bought in stages, and does it carry over into the AAS?
- What kinds of employers host the AAS culinary internship?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Waukesha County Technical College before applying.