CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Interest income:
Loans	$ 324,757	$ 245,230
Investments	2,143	2,591
Cash and cash equivalents	2,588	1,634
Total interest income	329,488	249,455
Interest expense:
Deposits	44,852	34,012
Interest expense on short-term borrowings	1,236	2,163
Interest expense on long-term borrowings	15,323	3,415
Other interest expense	1	2
Total interest expense	61,412	39,592
Net interest income	268,076	209,863
Less: provisions for credit losses	25,296	32,602
Net interest income after provisions for credit losses	242,780	177,261
Non-interest income:
Losses on derivatives and hedging activities, net	(5,378)	(354)
Other income	11,346	21,028
Total non-interest income	5,968	20,674
Non-interest expenses:
Compensation and benefits	55,464	50,209
FDIC assessment fees	7,229	4,176
Other operating expenses	39,984	38,500
Total operating expenses	102,677	92,885
Acquired intangible asset amortization expense	117	260
Total non-interest expenses	102,794	93,145
Income before income tax expense	145,954	104,790
Income tax expense	51,011	38,875
Net income	94,943	65,915
Preferred stock dividends	5,575	5,139
Net income attributable to SLM Corporation common stock	$ 89,368	$ 60,776
Basic earnings per common share attributable to SLM Corporation (in dollars per share)	$ 0.21	$ 0.14
Average common shares outstanding (in shares)	429,891	427,111
Diluted earnings per common share attributable to SLM Corporation (in dollars per share)	$ 0.20	$ 0.14
Average common and common equivalent shares outstanding (in shares)	438,735	430,903