485BPOS

Registration Nos. 002-87568/811-3894

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM N-1A

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 /X/

Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 /X/

and/or

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 /X/

Amendment No. 40 /X/

T. ROWE PRICE SHORT-TERM BOND FUND, INC.

Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter

100 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202
Address of Principal Executive Offices

410-345-2000
Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code

David Oestreicher

100 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202
Name and Address of Agent for Service

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

/X/Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

//On (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)

//60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

//On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

//75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)

//On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485

If appropriate, check the following box:

//This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

Page 2

EXHIBITS

Exhibit	Exhibit No.
XBRL Instance Document	EX-101.INS
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document	EX-101.SCH
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document	EX-101.CAL
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document	EX-101.DEF
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase Document	EX-101.LAB
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document	EX-101.PRE

Page 3

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Baltimore, State of Maryland, this October 18, 2012.

T. ROWE PRICE SHORT-TERM BOND FUND, INC.

/s/Edward C. Bernard

By:Edward C. Bernard

Chairman of the Board

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

Signature	Title	Date
/s/Edward C. Bernard	Chairman of the Board	October 18, 2012
Edward C. Bernard	(Chief Executive Officer)
/s/Gregory K. Hinkle	Treasurer (Chief	October 18, 2012
Gregory K. Hinkle	Financial Officer)
*	Director	October 18, 2012
William R. Brody
*	Director	October 18, 2012
Jeremiah E. Casey
*	Director	October 18, 2012
Anthony W. Deering
*	Director	October 18, 2012
Donald W. Dick, Jr.
/s/Michael C. Gitlin	Director	October 18, 2012
Michael C. Gitlin
*	Director	October 18, 2012
Karen N. Horn
*	Director	October 18, 2012
Theo C. Rodgers
*	Director	October 18, 2012
John G. Schreiber

Page 4

*	Director	October 18, 2012
Mark. R. Tercek
*/s/David Oestreicher	Vice President and	October 18, 2012
David Oestreicher	Attorney-In-Fact

Page 5

T. ROWE PRICE BALANCED FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE BLUE CHIP GROWTH FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE CALIFORNIA TAX-FREE INCOME TRUST

T. ROWE PRICE CAPITAL APPRECIATION FUND

T. ROWE PRICE CAPITAL OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE CORPORATE INCOME FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE DIVERSIFIED MID-CAP GROWTH FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE DIVERSIFIED SMALL-CAP GROWTH FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE DIVIDEND GROWTH FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE EQUITY INCOME FUND

T. ROWE PRICE EQUITY SERIES, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE FINANCIAL SERVICES FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE FIXED INCOME SERIES, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE FLOATING RATE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE GLOBAL REAL ESTATE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE GNMA FUND

T. ROWE PRICE GROWTH & INCOME FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE GROWTH STOCK FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE HEALTH SCIENCES FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE HIGH YIELD FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INDEX TRUST, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INFLATION FOCUSED BOND FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INFLATION PROTECTED BOND FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INSTITUTIONAL EQUITY FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INSTITUTIONAL INCOME FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INSTITUTIONAL INTERNATIONAL FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL INDEX FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL SERIES, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE MEDIA & TELECOMMUNICATIONS FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE MID-CAP GROWTH FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE MID-CAP VALUE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE MULTI-SECTOR ACCOUNT PORTFOLIOS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE NEW AMERICA GROWTH FUND
T. ROWE PRICE NEW ERA FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE NEW HORIZONS FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE NEW INCOME FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE PERSONAL STRATEGY FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE PRIME RESERVE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE REAL ASSETS FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE REAL ESTATE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE RESERVE INVESTMENT FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE RETIREMENT FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE SHORT-TERM BOND FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE SMALL-CAP STOCK FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE SMALL-CAP VALUE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE SPECTRUM FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE STATE TAX-FREE INCOME TRUST

Page 6

T. ROWE PRICE STRATEGIC INCOME FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE SUMMIT FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE SUMMIT MUNICIPAL FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE TAX-EFFICIENT FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE TAX-EXEMPT MONEY FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE TAX-FREE HIGH YIELD FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE TAX-FREE INCOME FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE TAX-FREE SHORT-INTERMEDIATE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE U.S. BOND ENHANCED INDEX FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE U.S. LARGE-CAP CORE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE U.S. TREASURY FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE VALUE FUND, INC.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

RESOLVED, that the Corporation does hereby constitute and authorize Edward C. Bernard, Margery K. Neale and David Oestreicher, and each of them individually, their true and lawful attorneys and agents to take any and all action and execute any and all instruments which said attorneys and agents may deem necessary or advisable to enable the Corporation/Trust to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and any rules, regulations, orders or other requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of shares of the Corporation/Trust, to be offered by the Corporation/Trust, and the registration of the Corporation/Trust under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, including specifically, but without limitation of the foregoing, power and authority to sign the name of the Corporation/Trust on its behalf, and to sign the names of each of such directors/trustees and officers on his behalf as such director/trustee or officer to any (i) Registration Statement on Form N-1A or N-14 of the Corporation/Trust filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; (ii) Registration Statement on Form N-1A or N-14 of the Corporation/Trust under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; (iii) amendment or supplement (including, but not limited to, Post-Effective Amendments adding additional series or classes of the Corporation/ Trust) to said Registration Statement; and (iv) instruments or documents filed or to be filed as a part of or in connection with such Registration Statement, including Articles Supplementary, Articles of Amendment, and other instruments with respect to the Articles of Incorporation or Master Trust Agreement of the Corporation/Trust.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the above named Corporations/Trusts have caused these presents to be signed and the same attested by its Secretary, each thereunto duly authorized by its Board of Directors/Trustees, and each of the undersigned has hereunto set his hand and seal as of the day set opposite his name.

Page 7

ALL CORPORATIONS/TRUSTS
/s/Edward C. Bernard Edward C. Bernard	Chairman of the Board (Principal Executive Officer) Director/Trustee	April 24, 2012
/s/Gregory K. Hinkle Gregory K. Hinkle	Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer)	April 24, 2012
/s/William R. Brody William R. Brody	Director/Trustee	April 24, 2012
/s/Jeremiah E. Casey Jeremiah E. Casey	Director/Trustee	April 24, 2012
/s/Anthony W. Deering Anthony W. Deering	Director/Trustee	April 24, 2012
/s/Donald W. Dick, Jr. Donald W. Dick, Jr.	Director/Trustee	April 24, 2012
/s/Karen N. Horn Karen N. Horn	Director/Trustee	April 24, 2012
/s/Theo C. Rodgers Theo C. Rodgers	Director/Trustee	April 24, 2012
/s/John G. Schreiber John G. Schreiber	Director/Trustee	April 24, 2012
/s/Mark R. Tercek Mark R. Tercek	Director/Trustee	April 24, 2012

(Signatures Continued)

Page 8

MICHAEL C. GITLIN, Director/Trustee

T. ROWE PRICE CALIFORNIA TAX-FREE INCOME TRUST

T. ROWE PRICE CORPORATE INCOME FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE FIXED INCOME SERIES, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE GNMA FUND

T. ROWE PRICE FLOATING RATE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE HIGH YIELD FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INSTITUTIONAL INCOME FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INFLATION FOCUSED BOND FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INFLATION PROTECTED BOND FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE NEW INCOME FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE PRIME RESERVE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE RESERVE INVESTMENT FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE SHORT-TERM BOND FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE STATE TAX-FREE INCOME TRUST

T. ROWE PRICE STRATEGIC INCOME FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE SUMMIT FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE SUMMIT MUNICIPAL FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE TAX-EXEMPT MONEY FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE TAX-FREE HIGH YIELD FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE TAX-FREE INCOME FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE TAX-FREE SHORT-INTERMEDIATE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE U.S. BOND ENHANCED INDEX FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE U.S. TREASURY FUNDS, INC.

MICHAEL C. GITLIN, Director and President

T. ROWE PRICE MULTI-SECTOR ACCOUNT PORTFOLIOS, INC.

/s/Michael C. Gitlin Michael C. Gitlin April 24, 2012

(Signatures Continued)

Page 9

JOHN H. LAPORTE, Director/Trustee

T. ROWE PRICE CAPITAL OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE DIVERSIFIED MID-CAP GROWTH FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE EQUITY SERIES, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE NEW AMERICA GROWTH FUND

T. ROWE PRICE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE SMALL-CAP STOCK FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE SMALL-CAP VALUE FUND, INC.

JOHN H. LAPORTE, Director and Vice President

T. ROWE PRICE DIVERSIFIED SMALL-CAP GROWTH FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE HEALTH SCIENCES FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE NEW HORIZONS FUND, INC.

/s/John H. Laporte John H. Laporte April 24, 2012

(Signatures Continued)

Page 10

BRIAN C. ROGERS, Director/Trustee

T. ROWE PRICE BALANCED FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE BLUE CHIP GROWTH FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE CAPITAL APPRECIATION FUND

T. ROWE PRICE DIVIDEND GROWTH FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE FINANCIAL SERVICES FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE GLOBAL REAL ESTATE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE GROWTH & INCOME FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE GROWTH STOCK FUND, INC.

T. ROWE INDEX TRUST, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INSTITUTIONAL INTERNATIONAL FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL INDEX FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL SERIES, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE MEDIA & TELECOMMUNICATIONS FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE MID-CAP GROWTH FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE MID-CAP VALUE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE NEW ERA FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE REAL ASSETS FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE REAL ESTATE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE TAX-EFFICIENT FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE U.S. LARGE-CAP CORE FUND, INC.

BRIAN C. ROGERS, Director/Trustee and President

T. ROWE PRICE EQUITY INCOME FUND

T. ROWE PRICE INSTITUTIONAL EQUITY FUNDS, INC.

BRIAN C. ROGERS, Director/Trustee and Vice President

T. ROWE PRICE PERSONAL STRATEGY FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE RETIREMENT FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE SPECTRUM FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE VALUE FUND, INC.

/s/Brian C. Rogers Brian C. Rogers April 24, 2012

(Signatures Continued)

Page 11

ATTEST:

/s/Patricia B. Lippert

Patricia B. Lippert, Secretary

Page 12

T. ROWE PRICE BALANCED FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE BLUE CHIP GROWTH FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE CAPITAL APPRECIATION FUND

T. ROWE PRICE CAPITAL OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE DIVERSIFIED MID-CAP GROWTH FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE DIVERSIFIED SMALL-CAP GROWTH FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE DIVIDEND GROWTH FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE EQUITY INCOME FUND

T. ROWE PRICE EQUITY SERIES, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE FINANCIAL SERVICES FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE GLOBAL REAL ESTATE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE GROWTH & INCOME FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE GROWTH STOCK FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE HEALTH SCIENCES FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INDEX TRUST, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INSTITUTIONAL EQUITY FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INSTITUTIONAL INTERNATIONAL FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL INDEX FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL SERIES, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE MEDIA & TELECOMMUNICATIONS FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE MID-CAP GROWTH FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE MID-CAP VALUE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE NEW AMERICA GROWTH FUND
T. ROWE PRICE NEW ERA FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE NEW HORIZONS FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE PERSONAL STRATEGY FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE REAL ASSETS FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE REAL ESTATE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE RETIREMENT FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE SMALL-CAP STOCK FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE SMALL-CAP VALUE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE SPECTRUM FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE TAX-EFFICIENT FUNDS, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE U.S. LARGE-CAP CORE FUND, INC.

T. ROWE PRICE VALUE FUND, INC.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

RESOLVED, that the Corporation does hereby constitute and authorize Edward C. Bernard, Margery K. Neale and David Oestreicher, and each of them individually, their true and lawful attorneys and agents to take any and all action and execute any and all instruments which said attorneys and agents may deem necessary or advisable to enable the Corporation/Trust to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and any rules, regulations, orders or other requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of shares of the Corporation/Trust, to be offered by the Corporation/Trust, and the registration of the Corporation/Trust under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, including specifically, but without limitation of the foregoing, power and authority to sign the name of the Corporation/Trust on its behalf, and to sign

Page 13

the names of each of such directors/trustees and officers on his behalf as such director/trustee or officer to any (i) Registration Statement on Form N-1A or N-14 of the Corporation/Trust filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; (ii) Registration Statement on Form N-1A or N-14 of the Corporation/Trust under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; (iii) amendment or supplement (including, but not limited to, Post-Effective Amendments adding additional series or classes of the Corporation/ Trust) to said Registration Statement; and (iv) instruments or documents filed or to be filed as a part of or in connection with such Registration Statement, including Articles Supplementary, Articles of Amendment, and other instruments with respect to the Articles of Incorporation or Master Trust Agreement of the Corporation/Trust.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the above named Corporations/Trusts have caused these presents to be signed and the same attested by its Secretary, each thereunto duly authorized by its Board of Directors/Trustees, and each of the undersigned has hereunto set his hand and seal as of the day set opposite his name.

/s/Robert J. Gerrard, Jr. Robert J. Gerrard, Jr.	Director/Trustee	May 2, 2012
/s/Cecilia E. Rouse Cecilia E. Rouse	Director/Trustee	May 2, 2012

ATTEST:

/s/Patricia B. Lippert

Patricia B. Lippert, Secretary

XML

Advisor Class | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.

T. Rowe Price

Short-Term Bond Fund-Advisor Class

SUMMARY

Investment Objective

The fund seeks a high level of income consistent with minimal fluctuation in principal value and liquidity.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund’s Advisor Class

Annual fund operating expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses -	Advisor Class T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc. T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund-Advisor Class
Management fees	0.40%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees	0.25%
Other expenses	0.12%
Total annual fund operating expenses	0.77%

Example

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example - (USD $)	1 year	3 years	5 years	10 years
Advisor Class T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc. T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund-Advisor Class	79	246	428	954

Portfolio Turnover

The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 92.3% of the average value of its portfolio.

Investments, Risks, and Performance

Principal Investment Strategies

The fund will invest in a diversified portfolio of short- and intermediate-term investment-grade corporate, government, and mortgage-backed securities. The fund may also invest in money market securities, bank obligations, collateralized mortgage obligations, and foreign securities. Normally, the fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (including any borrowings for investment purposes) in bonds. The fund’s average effective maturity will not exceed three years. The fund will only purchase securities that are rated within the four highest credit categories (AAA, AA, A, BBB, or equivalent) by at least one major credit rating agency or, if unrated, deemed to be of comparable quality by T. Rowe Price.

Investment decisions reflect the portfolio manager’s outlook for interest rates and the economy, as well as the prices, yields, and credit quality of various securities in which the fund may invest. For example, if interest rates are expected to fall, the fund may purchase longer-term securities (within the fund’s investment program) in an attempt to seek higher yields and/or capital appreciation. Conversely, if interest rates are expected to rise, the fund may seek securities with shorter maturities.

The fund may sell holdings for a variety of reasons, such as to adjust the portfolio’s average maturity, duration, or credit quality or to shift assets into and out of higher-yielding or lower-yielding securities or different sectors.

Principal Risks

As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the fund will achieve its objective. The fund’s share price fluctuates, which means you could lose money by investing in the fund. The principal risks of investing in this fund are summarized as follows:

Active management risk The fund is subject to the risk that the investment adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value, or potential appreciation of the fund’s investments may prove to be incorrect. If the securities selected and strategies employed by the fund fail to produce the intended results, the fund could underperform other funds with similar objectives and investment strategies.

Interest rate risk This is the risk that a rise in interest rates will cause the price of a fixed rate debt security to fall. Prices fall because the bonds and notes in the fund’s portfolio become less attractive to other investors when securities with higher yields become available. Generally, securities with longer maturities and funds with longer weighted average maturities carry greater interest rate risk. During periods of extremely low or negative interest rates, the fund may not be able to maintain a positive yield or yields on par with historical levels.

Credit risk This is the risk that an issuer of a debt security could suffer an adverse change in financial condition that results in a payment default, security downgrade, or inability to meet a financial obligation.

Liquidity risk This is the risk that the fund may not be able to sell a holding in a timely manner at a desired price.

Foreign investing risk This is the risk that the fund’s investments in foreign securities may be adversely affected by political and economic conditions overseas, reduced liquidity, or decreases in foreign currency values relative to the U.S. dollar.

Prepayment risk and extension risk Prepayment risk is the risk that the principal on mortgage-backed securities, other asset-backed securities or any debt security with an embedded call option may be prepaid at any time, which could reduce yield and market value. The rate of prepayments tends to increase as interest rates fall, which could cause the average maturity of the portfolio to shorten. Extension risk may result from a rise in interest rates, which tends to make mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, and other callable debt securities more volatile.

Performance

The bar chart showing calendar year returns and the average annual total returns table indicate risk by illustrating how much returns can differ from one year to the next and how fund performance compares with that of a comparable market index. The fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of future performance.

The fund can also experience short-term performance swings, as shown by the best and worst calendar quarter returns during the years depicted.

Short-Term Bond Fund-Advisor Class
Calendar Year Returns

	Quarter Ended	Total Return
Best Quarter	6/30/09	2.79%
Worst Quarter	9/30/08	-0.74%

The fund’s return for the six months ended 6/30/12 was 1.53%.

In addition, the average annual total returns table shows hypothetical after-tax returns to suggest how taxes paid by a shareholder may influence returns. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as a 401(k) account or individual retirement account.

Average Annual Total Returns

Periods ended
December 31, 2011

Average Annual Total Returns - Advisor Class T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.	1 Year	5 Years	Since inception	Inception Date
T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund-Advisor Class	1.19%	3.72%	3.47%	Dec. 31, 2004
T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund-Advisor Class Returns after taxes on distributions	0.48%	2.59%	2.49%	Dec. 31, 2004
T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund-Advisor Class Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares	0.77%	2.51%	2.47%	Dec. 31, 2004
Barclays 1-3 Year U.S. Government/Credit Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)	1.59%	3.99%	3.71%
Lipper Short Investment Grade Debt Funds Average	1.26%	3.03%	3.00%

Updated performance information is available through troweprice.com or may be obtained by calling 1-800-638-8790.

XML

Label

Element

Value

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Registrant Name

dei_EntityRegistrantName

T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.

Prospectus Date

rr_ProspectusDate

Oct. 01, 2012

Investor Class | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

T. Rowe Price

Short-Term Bond Fund

SUMMARY

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The fund seeks a high level of income consistent with minimal fluctuation in principal value and liquidity.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund.

Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]

rr_ShareholderFeesCaption

Fees and Expenses

Shareholder fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

Operating Expenses Caption [Text]

rr_OperatingExpensesCaption

Annual fund operating expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investment)

Portfolio Turnover [Heading]

rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading

Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]

rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 92.3% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

92.30%

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Investments, Risks, and Performance

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The fund will invest in a diversified portfolio of short- and intermediate-term investment-grade corporate, government, and mortgage-backed securities. The fund may also invest in money market securities, bank obligations, collateralized mortgage obligations, and foreign securities. Normally, the fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (including any borrowings for investment purposes) in bonds. The fund’s average effective maturity will not exceed three years. The fund will only purchase securities that are rated within the four highest credit categories (AAA, AA, A, BBB, or equivalent) by at least one major credit rating agency or, if unrated, deemed to be of comparable quality by T. Rowe Price.

Investment decisions reflect the portfolio manager’s outlook for interest rates and the economy, as well as the prices, yields, and credit quality of various securities in which the fund may invest. For example, if interest rates are expected to fall, the fund may purchase longer-term securities (within the fund’s investment program) in an attempt to seek higher yields and/or capital appreciation. Conversely, if interest rates are expected to rise, the fund may seek securities with shorter maturities.

The fund may sell holdings for a variety of reasons, such as to adjust the portfolio’s average maturity, duration, or credit quality or to shift assets into and out of higher-yielding or lower-yielding securities or different sectors.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the fund will achieve its objective. The fund’s share price fluctuates, which means you could lose money by investing in the fund. The principal risks of investing in this fund are summarized as follows:

Active management risk The fund is subject to the risk that the investment adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value, or potential appreciation of the fund’s investments may prove to be incorrect. If the securities selected and strategies employed by the fund fail to produce the intended results, the fund could underperform other funds with similar objectives and investment strategies.

Interest rate risk This is the risk that a rise in interest rates will cause the price of a fixed rate debt security to fall. Prices fall because the bonds and notes in the fund’s portfolio become less attractive to other investors when securities with higher yields become available. Generally, securities with longer maturities and funds with longer weighted average maturities carry greater interest rate risk. During periods of extremely low or negative interest rates, the fund may not be able to maintain a positive yield or yields on par with historical levels.

Credit risk This is the risk that an issuer of a debt security could suffer an adverse change in financial condition that results in a payment default, security downgrade, or inability to meet a financial obligation.

Liquidity risk This is the risk that the fund may not be able to sell a holding in a timely manner at a desired price.

Foreign investing risk This is the risk that the fund’s investments in foreign securities may be adversely affected by political and economic conditions overseas, reduced liquidity, or decreases in foreign currency values relative to the U.S. dollar.

Prepayment risk and extension risk Prepayment risk is the risk that the principal on mortgage-backed securities, other asset-backed securities or any debt security with an embedded call option may be prepaid at any time, which could reduce yield and market value. The rate of prepayments tends to increase as interest rates fall, which could cause the average maturity of the portfolio to shorten. Extension risk may result from a rise in interest rates, which tends to make mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, and other callable debt securities more volatile.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

The fund’s share price fluctuates, which means you could lose money by investing in the fund.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart showing calendar year returns and the average annual total returns table indicate risk by illustrating how much returns can differ from one year to the next and how fund performance compares with that of a comparable market index. The fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of future performance.

The fund can also experience short-term performance swings, as shown by the best and worst calendar quarter returns during the years depicted.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

The bar chart showing calendar year returns and the average annual total returns table indicate risk by illustrating how much returns can differ from one year to the next and how fund performance compares with that of a comparable market index.

Performance Availability Phone [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone

1-800-225-5132

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

troweprice.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

The fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of future performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

rr_BarChartHeading

Short-Term Bond Fund
Calendar Year Returns

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

	Quarter Ended	Total Return
Best Quarter	6/30/09	2.87%
Worst Quarter	6/30/04	-1.20%

The fund’s return for the six months ended 6/30/12 was 1.67%.

Performance Table Heading

rr_PerformanceTableHeading

Average Annual Total Returns

Periods ended
December 31, 2011

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate

rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred

rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred

After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as a 401(k) account or individual retirement account.

Performance Table Narrative

rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

In addition, the average annual total returns table shows hypothetical after-tax returns to suggest how taxes paid by a shareholder may influence returns. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as a 401(k) account or individual retirement account.

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

Updated performance information is available through troweprice.com or may be obtained by calling 1-800-225-5132.

Investor Class | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc. | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases

rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice

none

Maximum deferred sales charge (load)

rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice

none

Redemption fee

rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption

none

Maximum account fee

rr_MaximumAccountFee

20

^[1]

Management fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.40%

Distribution and service (12b-1) fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.13%

Total annual fund operating expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.53%

1 year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

54

3 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

170

5 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

296

10 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

665

2002

rr_AnnualReturn2002

5.32%

2003

rr_AnnualReturn2003

3.72%

2004

rr_AnnualReturn2004

1.49%

2005

rr_AnnualReturn2005

1.74%

2006

rr_AnnualReturn2006

4.38%

2007

rr_AnnualReturn2007

5.48%

2008

rr_AnnualReturn2008

1.23%

2009

rr_AnnualReturn2009

9.00%

2010

rr_AnnualReturn2010

3.13%

2011

rr_AnnualReturn2011

1.46%

Year to Date Return, Label

rr_YearToDateReturnLabel

The fund’s return for the six months ended 6/30/12

Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date

rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate

Jun. 30, 2012

Bar Chart, Year to Date Return

rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn

1.67%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Best Quarter

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Jun. 30, 2009

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

2.87%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Worst Quarter

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Jun. 30, 2004

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(1.20%)

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.46%

5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

4.02%

10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

3.67%

Investor Class | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc. | Returns after taxes on distributions | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.66%

5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

2.78%

10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

2.53%

Investor Class | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc. | Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.95%

5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

2.71%

10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

2.52%

Investor Class | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc. | Barclays 1-3 Year U.S. Government/Credit Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.59%

5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

3.99%

10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

3.63%

Investor Class | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc. | Lipper Short Investment Grade Debt Funds Average

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.26%

5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

3.03%

10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

3.10%

[1] Subject to certain exceptions, accounts with a balance of less than $10,000 are charged an annual $20 fee.

XML

Investor Class | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.

T. Rowe Price

Short-Term Bond Fund

SUMMARY

Investment Objective

The fund seeks a high level of income consistent with minimal fluctuation in principal value and liquidity.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund.

Fees and Expenses

Shareholder fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - (USD $)		Investor Class T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases		none
Maximum deferred sales charge (load)		none
Redemption fee		none
Maximum account fee	[1]	20

Annual fund operating expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses -	Investor Class T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.
Management fees	0.40%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees	none
Other expenses	0.13%
Total annual fund operating expenses	0.53%

Example

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example - (USD $)	1 year	3 years	5 years	10 years
Investor Class T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.	54	170	296	665

Portfolio Turnover

The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 92.3% of the average value of its portfolio.

Investments, Risks, and Performance

Principal Investment Strategies

The fund will invest in a diversified portfolio of short- and intermediate-term investment-grade corporate, government, and mortgage-backed securities. The fund may also invest in money market securities, bank obligations, collateralized mortgage obligations, and foreign securities. Normally, the fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (including any borrowings for investment purposes) in bonds. The fund’s average effective maturity will not exceed three years. The fund will only purchase securities that are rated within the four highest credit categories (AAA, AA, A, BBB, or equivalent) by at least one major credit rating agency or, if unrated, deemed to be of comparable quality by T. Rowe Price.

Investment decisions reflect the portfolio manager’s outlook for interest rates and the economy, as well as the prices, yields, and credit quality of various securities in which the fund may invest. For example, if interest rates are expected to fall, the fund may purchase longer-term securities (within the fund’s investment program) in an attempt to seek higher yields and/or capital appreciation. Conversely, if interest rates are expected to rise, the fund may seek securities with shorter maturities.

The fund may sell holdings for a variety of reasons, such as to adjust the portfolio’s average maturity, duration, or credit quality or to shift assets into and out of higher-yielding or lower-yielding securities or different sectors.

Principal Risks

As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the fund will achieve its objective. The fund’s share price fluctuates, which means you could lose money by investing in the fund. The principal risks of investing in this fund are summarized as follows:

Active management risk The fund is subject to the risk that the investment adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value, or potential appreciation of the fund’s investments may prove to be incorrect. If the securities selected and strategies employed by the fund fail to produce the intended results, the fund could underperform other funds with similar objectives and investment strategies.

Interest rate risk This is the risk that a rise in interest rates will cause the price of a fixed rate debt security to fall. Prices fall because the bonds and notes in the fund’s portfolio become less attractive to other investors when securities with higher yields become available. Generally, securities with longer maturities and funds with longer weighted average maturities carry greater interest rate risk. During periods of extremely low or negative interest rates, the fund may not be able to maintain a positive yield or yields on par with historical levels.

Credit risk This is the risk that an issuer of a debt security could suffer an adverse change in financial condition that results in a payment default, security downgrade, or inability to meet a financial obligation.

Liquidity risk This is the risk that the fund may not be able to sell a holding in a timely manner at a desired price.

Foreign investing risk This is the risk that the fund’s investments in foreign securities may be adversely affected by political and economic conditions overseas, reduced liquidity, or decreases in foreign currency values relative to the U.S. dollar.

Prepayment risk and extension risk Prepayment risk is the risk that the principal on mortgage-backed securities, other asset-backed securities or any debt security with an embedded call option may be prepaid at any time, which could reduce yield and market value. The rate of prepayments tends to increase as interest rates fall, which could cause the average maturity of the portfolio to shorten. Extension risk may result from a rise in interest rates, which tends to make mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, and other callable debt securities more volatile.

Performance

The bar chart showing calendar year returns and the average annual total returns table indicate risk by illustrating how much returns can differ from one year to the next and how fund performance compares with that of a comparable market index. The fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of future performance.

The fund can also experience short-term performance swings, as shown by the best and worst calendar quarter returns during the years depicted.

Short-Term Bond Fund
Calendar Year Returns

	Quarter Ended	Total Return
Best Quarter	6/30/09	2.87%
Worst Quarter	6/30/04	-1.20%

The fund’s return for the six months ended 6/30/12 was 1.67%.

In addition, the average annual total returns table shows hypothetical after-tax returns to suggest how taxes paid by a shareholder may influence returns. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as a 401(k) account or individual retirement account.

Average Annual Total Returns

Periods ended
December 31, 2011

Average Annual Total Returns - Investor Class	1 Year	5 Years	10 Years
T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.	1.46%	4.02%	3.67%
T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc. Returns after taxes on distributions	0.66%	2.78%	2.53%
T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc. Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares	0.95%	2.71%	2.52%
T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc. Barclays 1-3 Year U.S. Government/Credit Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)	1.59%	3.99%	3.63%
T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc. Lipper Short Investment Grade Debt Funds Average	1.26%	3.03%	3.10%

Updated performance information is available through troweprice.com or may be obtained by calling 1-800-225-5132.

[1] Subject to certain exceptions, accounts with a balance of less than $10,000 are charged an annual $20 fee.

XML

Document and Entity Information	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 01, 2012
Risk/Return:
Document Type	485BPOS
Document Period End Date	May 31, 2012
Registrant Name	T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.
Central Index Key	0000731890
Amendment Flag	false
Document Creation Date	Sep. 27, 2012
Document Effective Date	Oct. 01, 2012
Prospectus Date	Oct. 01, 2012

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Oct. 01, 2012
Document Creation Date	dei_DocumentCreationDate	Sep. 27, 2012

XML

Label

Element

Value

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Registrant Name

dei_EntityRegistrantName

T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.

Prospectus Date

rr_ProspectusDate

Oct. 01, 2012

Advisor Class | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

T. Rowe Price

Short-Term Bond Fund-Advisor Class

SUMMARY

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The fund seeks a high level of income consistent with minimal fluctuation in principal value and liquidity.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund.

Operating Expenses Caption [Text]

rr_OperatingExpensesCaption

Fees and Expenses of the Fund’s Advisor Class

Annual fund operating expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investment)

Portfolio Turnover [Heading]

rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading

Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]

rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 92.3% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

92.30%

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Investments, Risks, and Performance

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The fund will invest in a diversified portfolio of short- and intermediate-term investment-grade corporate, government, and mortgage-backed securities. The fund may also invest in money market securities, bank obligations, collateralized mortgage obligations, and foreign securities. Normally, the fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (including any borrowings for investment purposes) in bonds. The fund’s average effective maturity will not exceed three years. The fund will only purchase securities that are rated within the four highest credit categories (AAA, AA, A, BBB, or equivalent) by at least one major credit rating agency or, if unrated, deemed to be of comparable quality by T. Rowe Price.

Investment decisions reflect the portfolio manager’s outlook for interest rates and the economy, as well as the prices, yields, and credit quality of various securities in which the fund may invest. For example, if interest rates are expected to fall, the fund may purchase longer-term securities (within the fund’s investment program) in an attempt to seek higher yields and/or capital appreciation. Conversely, if interest rates are expected to rise, the fund may seek securities with shorter maturities.

The fund may sell holdings for a variety of reasons, such as to adjust the portfolio’s average maturity, duration, or credit quality or to shift assets into and out of higher-yielding or lower-yielding securities or different sectors.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the fund will achieve its objective. The fund’s share price fluctuates, which means you could lose money by investing in the fund. The principal risks of investing in this fund are summarized as follows:

Active management risk The fund is subject to the risk that the investment adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value, or potential appreciation of the fund’s investments may prove to be incorrect. If the securities selected and strategies employed by the fund fail to produce the intended results, the fund could underperform other funds with similar objectives and investment strategies.

Interest rate risk This is the risk that a rise in interest rates will cause the price of a fixed rate debt security to fall. Prices fall because the bonds and notes in the fund’s portfolio become less attractive to other investors when securities with higher yields become available. Generally, securities with longer maturities and funds with longer weighted average maturities carry greater interest rate risk. During periods of extremely low or negative interest rates, the fund may not be able to maintain a positive yield or yields on par with historical levels.

Credit risk This is the risk that an issuer of a debt security could suffer an adverse change in financial condition that results in a payment default, security downgrade, or inability to meet a financial obligation.

Liquidity risk This is the risk that the fund may not be able to sell a holding in a timely manner at a desired price.

Foreign investing risk This is the risk that the fund’s investments in foreign securities may be adversely affected by political and economic conditions overseas, reduced liquidity, or decreases in foreign currency values relative to the U.S. dollar.

Prepayment risk and extension risk Prepayment risk is the risk that the principal on mortgage-backed securities, other asset-backed securities or any debt security with an embedded call option may be prepaid at any time, which could reduce yield and market value. The rate of prepayments tends to increase as interest rates fall, which could cause the average maturity of the portfolio to shorten. Extension risk may result from a rise in interest rates, which tends to make mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, and other callable debt securities more volatile.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

The fund’s share price fluctuates, which means you could lose money by investing in the fund.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart showing calendar year returns and the average annual total returns table indicate risk by illustrating how much returns can differ from one year to the next and how fund performance compares with that of a comparable market index. The fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of future performance.

The fund can also experience short-term performance swings, as shown by the best and worst calendar quarter returns during the years depicted.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

The bar chart showing calendar year returns and the average annual total returns table indicate risk by illustrating how much returns can differ from one year to the next and how fund performance compares with that of a comparable market index.

Performance Availability Phone [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone

1-800-638-8790

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

troweprice.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

The fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of future performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

rr_BarChartHeading

Short-Term Bond Fund-Advisor Class
Calendar Year Returns

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

	Quarter Ended	Total Return
Best Quarter	6/30/09	2.79%
Worst Quarter	9/30/08	-0.74%

The fund’s return for the six months ended 6/30/12 was 1.53%.

Performance Table Heading

rr_PerformanceTableHeading

Average Annual Total Returns

Periods ended
December 31, 2011

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate

rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred

rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred

After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as a 401(k) account or individual retirement account.

Performance Table Narrative

rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

In addition, the average annual total returns table shows hypothetical after-tax returns to suggest how taxes paid by a shareholder may influence returns. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as a 401(k) account or individual retirement account.

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

Updated performance information is available through troweprice.com or may be obtained by calling 1-800-638-8790.

Advisor Class | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc. | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund-Advisor Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Management fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.40%

Distribution and service (12b-1) fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.25%

Other expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.12%

Total annual fund operating expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.77%

1 year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

79

3 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

246

5 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

428

10 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

954

2005

rr_AnnualReturn2005

1.86%

2006

rr_AnnualReturn2006

3.87%

2007

rr_AnnualReturn2007

5.18%

2008

rr_AnnualReturn2008

0.90%

2009

rr_AnnualReturn2009

8.69%

2010

rr_AnnualReturn2010

2.84%

2011

rr_AnnualReturn2011

1.19%

Year to Date Return, Label

rr_YearToDateReturnLabel

The fund’s return for the six months ended 6/30/12

Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date

rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate

Jun. 30, 2012

Bar Chart, Year to Date Return

rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn

1.53%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Best Quarter

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Jun. 30, 2009

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

2.79%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Worst Quarter

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2008

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(0.74%)

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.19%

5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

3.72%

Since inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

3.47%

Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Dec. 31, 2004

Advisor Class | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc. | Returns after taxes on distributions | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund-Advisor Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.48%

5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

2.59%

Since inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.49%

Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Dec. 31, 2004

Advisor Class | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc. | Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund-Advisor Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.77%

5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

2.51%

Since inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.47%

Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Dec. 31, 2004

Advisor Class | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc. | Barclays 1-3 Year U.S. Government/Credit Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.59%

5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

3.99%

Since inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

3.71%

Advisor Class | T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc. | Lipper Short Investment Grade Debt Funds Average

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.26%

5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

3.03%

Since inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

3.00%