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Stockholders' Equity - Additional Information (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Class of Stock [Line Items]      
Common stock, shares authorized 1,125,000,000.000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized 0us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized  
Common stock, par value $ 0.20us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare $ 0us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare  
Common stock shares outstanding (in shares) 423,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding    
Common shares unissued but encumbered (in shares) 60,000,000slm_CommonSharesUnissuedButEncumbered    
Common stock dividends $ 0us-gaap_DividendsCommonStock $ 0us-gaap_DividendsCommonStock $ 0us-gaap_DividendsCommonStock
Series A Preferred Stock      
Class of Stock [Line Items]      
Preferred stock shares outstanding (in shares) 3,300,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesAPreferredStockMember
0us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesAPreferredStockMember
 
Preferred stock dividend rate 6.97%us-gaap_PreferredStockDividendRatePercentage
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesAPreferredStockMember
   
Preferred stock dividend rate (usd per share) $ 3.485slm_PreferredStockQuarterlyDividendRatePerDollarAmount
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesAPreferredStockMember
   
Preferred stock liquidation preference (usd per share) $ 50us-gaap_PreferredStockLiquidationPreference
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesAPreferredStockMember
   
Series B Preferred Stock      
Class of Stock [Line Items]      
Preferred stock shares outstanding (in shares) 4,000,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesBPreferredStockMember
0us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesBPreferredStockMember
 
Preferred stock, dividend payment terms 3-month LIBOR plus 170 basis points per annum    
Preferred stock liquidation preference (usd per share) $ 100us-gaap_PreferredStockLiquidationPreference
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesBPreferredStockMember
   
Three Month LIBOR [Member] | Series B Preferred Stock      
Class of Stock [Line Items]      
Preferred stock dividend rate 1.70%us-gaap_PreferredStockDividendRatePercentage
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesBPreferredStockMember
/ us-gaap_VariableRateAxis
= slm_ThreeMonthLIBORMember