CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Interest income:
Loans	$ 268,341	$ 205,274	$ 765,246	$ 598,417
Investments	2,193	2,640	7,155	7,746
Cash and cash equivalents	2,003	987	4,832	2,568
Total interest income	272,537	208,901	777,233	608,731
Interest expense:
Deposits	38,210	29,110	107,633	86,961
Interest expense on short-term borrowings	1,604	1,951	5,827	4,719
Interest expense on long-term borrowings	9,448	2,398	17,869	2,398
Total interest expense	49,262	33,459	131,329	94,078
Net interest income	223,275	175,442	645,904	514,653
Less: provisions for credit losses	41,784	27,497	116,179	59,673
Net interest income after provisions for credit losses	181,491	147,945	529,725	454,980
Non-interest income:
Gains on sales of loans, net	0	0	0	76,874
Gains (losses) on derivatives and hedging activities, net	1,368	(547)	3,156	4,347
Other income	21,598	10,455	56,309	29,374
Total non-interest income	22,966	9,908	59,465	110,595
Non-interest expenses:
Compensation and benefits	43,380	39,304	138,659	119,079
FDIC assessment fees	5,095	3,801	13,548	10,230
Other operating expenses	51,234	49,759	135,164	134,541
Total operating expenses	99,709	92,864	287,371	263,850
Acquired intangible asset amortization expense	226	370	747	1,110
Restructuring and other reorganization expenses	0	910	0	6,311
Total non-interest expenses	99,935	94,144	288,118	271,271
Income before income tax expense	104,522	63,709	301,072	294,304
Income tax expense	47,557	17,985	120,987	109,865
Net income	56,965	45,724	180,085	184,439
Preferred stock dividends	5,316	4,913	15,698	14,606
Net income attributable to SLM Corporation common stock	$ 51,649	$ 40,811	$ 164,387	$ 169,833
Basic earnings per common share attributable to SLM Corporation (in dollars per share)	$ 0.12	$ 0.10	$ 0.38	$ 0.40
Average common shares outstanding (in shares)	428,077	426,019	427,711	425,384
Diluted earnings per common share attributable to SLM Corporation (in dollars per share)	$ 0.12	$ 0.09	$ 0.38	$ 0.39
Average common and common equivalent shares outstanding (in shares)	433,523	432,547	432,079	432,531