Loans Securitized or Asset-Backed Financing Arrangement, Ownership Interest, Percentage

No definition available.

Name:	slm_LoansSecuritizedorAssetBackedFinancingArrangementOwnershipInterestPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	slm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This is the principal amount outstanding for loans which are in the process of being securitized as of the date of the statement of financial position (across all types of loans).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64830801&loc=d3e107314-111719

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PrincipalAmountOutstandingOnLoansHeldForSaleOrSecuritization
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash inflow during the period from additional borrowings in aggregate debt. Includes proceeds from short-term and long-term debt.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow from the issuance of long-term debt that is not secured by collateral. Excludes proceeds from tax exempt unsecured debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Financing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3255-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfUnsecuredDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Detail information of subsequent event by type. User is expected to use existing line items from elsewhere in the taxonomy as the primary line items for this disclosure, which is further associated with dimension and member elements pertaining to a subsequent event.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=slm_PrivateEducationLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Subsequent Event (Details) - Private Education Loans - USD ($) $ in Millions	Oct. 12, 2016	Jul. 21, 2016	May 26, 2016
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Total loan amount securitized at inception for the 2016 on-balance sheet term securitization		$ 657	$ 551
Proceeds from loan securitization sold to third parties		$ 607	$ 501
Subsequent Event
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Total loan amount securitized at inception for the 2016 on-balance sheet term securitization	$ 674
Amount of loan securitization sold to third parties	$ 674
Ownership interest percentage	100.00%
Proceeds from loan securitization sold to third parties	$ 673