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Pastry and Baking School Guide

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Expand on your natural culinary talents by training at a pastry and baking school. You can obtain the necessary education to enhance your current skills, and prepare to pursue a career as a pastry chef, baker, or even wedding cake designer.

Pursuing a career as a pastry chef can begin with formal training since many culinary schools offer programs focused solely on this discipline. And, because baking is considered to be a science, you can expect to study highly technical subjects, such as food science and kitchen math. You can also gain specialized skills related to cake decoration, pastry techniques, sugar artistry, pairing, plating, and more.

These schools can teach you to create a wide range of desserts, pastries, and baked goods, from souffles to tarts to breads. You can also prepare to bridge the gap between home cook and culinary professional by gaining a background in commercial kitchen fundamentals, such as basic cookery, safety, and sanitation. Plus, you can learn about menu planning, inventory, and more.

Within the culinary industry, baking and pastry is a large and unique sub-field. And, while there are many pastry chefs and bakers within restaurants and other commercial kitchens, bakeries, patisseries, and wedding cake shops are also home to a vast number of these professionals.

To learn even more about baking careers and the education you'll need to get into the industry, take advantage of the article below which covers off seven of the most common questions budding chefs find themselves asking.

And if you are eager to get started, begin by entering your zip code into the zip search tool and requesting more information from a baking and pastry school that interests you!




Lincoln Culinary Institute

  • Shelton, Connecticut
  • Columbia, Maryland
  • International Baking and Pastry

YTI Career Institute

  • Lancaster, Pennsylvania
  • Pastry Arts

Florida Technical College

  • Kissimmee, Florida
  • Baking and Pastry

Dorsey College

  • Roseville, Michigan
  • Baking and Pastry Arts


Choosing a Baking Career

Baking and PastryAre you considering pursuing a baking career? If the smell of rising bread or baking cookies makes you weak in the knees, and your favorite pastime involves whipping up a culinary creation in the kitchen, the baking industry could be a perfect choice for your future. This fast-paced career field requires a passion for food, and a fascination with the mix of science and creativity involved in mastering baked goods.

In order to reach your career objectives in this industry, a post-secondary education is generally the first step. However, before you start firing off applications, there are some considerations that you should take into account. Here are seven factors to think about before pursuing a career in baking.

1. Is a Baking Career For You?

There's a difference between spending a leisurely afternoon in the kitchen, whipping up the family's cherished cookie recipe, and spending an eight-hour shift in a fast-paced commercial kitchen. Not to say you can't enjoy both, but there are some prerequisites that can help ensure success and personal satisfaction in the baking industry.

  • A love and passion for baking and working with pastry.
  • Physical strength - You will be required to lift heavy pots, operate industrial-sized equipment, and handle large bags of ingredients.
  • Stamina - You will spend many hours on your feet in a fast-paced environment.
  • Attention to detail - Although baking is considered by many to be an art form, it is also part science. Accurate measuring can make or break a creation, and a forgotten ingredient can result in sub-par quality.

2. What Kind of Baking Career Do You Want?

There are many different career paths and environments within the baking industry. By narrowing down the type of job you want and the atmosphere you want to be a part of, you can make it easier to choose the type of baking school that matches your goals. Common careers within this field include baker, pastry chef, and commercial baker, while job settings range from hotels, restaurants and bakeries to grocery stores and baking manufacturing companies.

For pastry chefs that want to go the extra mile, the American Culinary Federation is now offering Executive Pastry Chef certification. This type of certification is a good way to show current or potential employers that you're skilled, and serious about your work.

3. What Types of Programs are Available?

Baking and Pastry SchoolsNow that you have thought about what type of baking career that interests you, the next step is to figure out which program would be the best match. From certificates to diplomas to degrees, there is no shortage of available options. Choosing the right program will depend on your career goals.

If you are looking to complete your training quickly and start your career at the entry-level, a certificate or diploma program could be your best option. These types of programs tend to be career-oriented, focusing on the hands-on skills you need to pursue entry-level positions.

On the other side of the spectrum, degree programs tend to be longer in length, and cover a wider range of theoretical and background knowledge, in addition to hands-on training. Although earning a degree requires more time to be invested toward your education, a higher-level program can allow you to graduate qualified for a broader range of baking positions.

4. What Types of Baking Schools are Available?

After determining the best program route, you also need to take into consideration the type of school that best fits your career goals. If you are leaning toward a certificate or diploma program, and wish to graduate quickly with on-the-job skills, a vocational school is probably your best bet. In addition, many private culinary institutes are available, and also tend to provide job-focused training. However, if your goal is to obtain a degree, a college or university might be the better choice.

5. How Much Does Baking School Cost?

The cost of tuition is an important consideration for any student. However, as with any type of program, the price of tuition depends entirely upon the length and type of program, as well as the location of the school, the state of the local market, and many other factors. Your best bet is to narrow down the list of schools you are considering, and contact them for further information.

When talking about tuition, it is also worth mentioning that many schools offer in-house, private, or federal financial aid through payment plans, scholarships, grants, loans, etc. It is definitely in your best interest to find out what forms of funding you could qualify for.

6. What Is the Median Salary for a Baking Career?

It's extremely important to investigate the median salary statistics within the baking field. No one wants to invest time and money into an education only to graduate and discover their salary expectations are way off the mark. While salaries vary depending on the type of position and geographical area, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, the median annual wage for bakers in May 2022 was $32,780, and the top 10 percent of bakers earned $45,650 and higher.

7. What Is the Current Job Outlook for Baking Careers?

Your final, and probably most vital, consideration is the job outlook for the baking industry. If you are going to pursue baking as a career, it's helpful to know how competitive the industry is so that you can gain a realistic idea of your odds of finding a job that fits your personal and professional goals. According to national projections, employment in this field is expected to grow five percent from 2022 to 2032.