Goodwill and Intangible Assets - Goodwill Roll Forward (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	$ 732,540,000
Additions	0
Impairments	0	$ 0
Adjustments	259,000
Balance, end of period	732,799,000
Strayer University
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	337,381,000
Additions	0
Impairments	0
Adjustments	0
Balance, end of period	337,381,000
Capella University
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	395,159,000
Additions	0
Impairments	0
Adjustments	259,000
Balance, end of period	395,418,000
Non-Degree Programs
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	0
Additions	0
Impairments	0
Adjustments	0
Balance, end of period	$ 0

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

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- Definition

Amount of increase in asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized resulting from a business combination.

+ References

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Amount of loss from the write-down of an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

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- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease), classified as other, of an asset representing the future economic benefits from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

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- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

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