THE CENTER SQUARE — Attending a public university in Virginia now costs about $30,000 a year for in-state students, up 40% from 2006 after inflation, state data show.

The average cost for tuition, fees and room and board at a four-year public college is $29,538 a year. In 2006, the average was about $21,000, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

Costs vary by campus. William and Mary is the most expensive, rising from $25,061 in 2006 to $43,057 this year, according to the data. Virginia State University is the least expensive, moving from $19,703 to $23,270 over the same period. Other schools also recorded steady increases.

Christopher Newport University rose from $23,277 to $29,975. James Madison University went from $20,857 to $28,139. George Mason University grew from $

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