(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. The College of 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 $21,036 to $28,756. Virginia Commonwealth University increased from $20,914 in 2006 to $32,368 in 2025.
The Virginia Military Institute climbed from $24,625 to $33,016.
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia reported that tuition and mandatory fees rose another 2.7% this year, while room and board increased 3.7%. SCHEV estimates students now cover 42% of their educational costs while the commonwealth pays 58%, short of Virginia’s cost-share target of 67%. Tuition could have been about $1,900 lower if that benchmark had been met according to documents.
Students who earn an associate degree at a Virginia community college before transferring can cut nearly $22,000 from the price of a bachelor’s degree, SCHEV reported.
Rising costs are linked to broader financial pressures for students. A WalletHub analysis released July 30, found Virginia ranked 14th nationally for the largest increase in student loan delinquencies. The share of delinquent loans rose 27% between late 2024 and early 2025.
Nationally, student loan delinquency has been climbing since the end of the COVID-19 repayment pause. For Virginia, the data highlights how tuition increases and repayment challenges are occurring at the same time.
SCHEV noted that community college remains the lowest-cost option, averaging $5,049 a year. At the other end of the scale, tuition and mandatory fees at William and Mary total nearly $26,500 for 2025–26.
