CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Interest income:
Loans	$ 430,048	$ 324,757
Investments	1,947	2,143
Cash and cash equivalents	5,236	2,588
Total interest income	437,231	329,488
Interest expense:
Deposits	77,456	44,853
Interest expense on short-term borrowings	2,393	1,236
Interest expense on long-term borrowings	24,768	15,323
Total interest expense	104,617	61,412
Net interest income	332,614	268,076
Less: provisions for credit losses	53,931	25,296
Net interest income after provisions for credit losses	278,683	242,780
Non-interest income:
Gains (losses) on derivatives and hedging activities, net	3,892	(5,378)
Other income	9,642	11,346
Total non-interest income	13,534	5,968
Non-interest expenses:
Compensation and benefits	68,317	55,464
FDIC assessment fees	8,796	7,229
Other operating expenses	47,761	39,984
Total operating expenses	124,874	102,677
Acquired intangible asset amortization expense	92	117
Total non-interest expenses	124,966	102,794
Income before income tax expense	167,251	145,954
Income tax expense	40,997	51,011
Net income	126,254	94,943
Preferred stock dividends	3,397	5,575
Net income attributable to SLM Corporation common stock	$ 122,857	$ 89,368
Basic earnings per common share attributable to SLM Corporation (in dollars per share)	$ 0.28	$ 0.21
Average common shares outstanding (in shares)	433,952	429,891
Diluted earnings per common share attributable to SLM Corporation (in dollars per share)	$ 0.28	$ 0.20
Average common and common equivalent shares outstanding (in shares)	438,977	438,735