CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Interest income:
Loans	$ 480,170	$ 553,905	$ 1,035,447	$ 1,107,384
Investments	2,489	1,706	5,006	3,127
Cash and cash equivalents	2,136	18,111	19,275	29,664
Total interest income	484,795	573,722	1,059,728	1,140,175
Interest expense:
Deposits	100,246	136,597	235,358	262,584
Interest expense on short-term borrowings	3,399	1,135	7,616	2,300
Interest expense on long-term borrowings	32,375	39,122	67,863	76,142
Total interest expense	136,020	176,854	310,837	341,026
Net interest income	348,775	396,868	748,891	799,149
Less: provisions for credit losses	351,887	93,375	413,145	157,165
Net interest income (loss) after provisions for credit losses	(3,112)	303,493	335,746	641,984
Non-interest income (loss):
Gains (losses) on sales of loans, net	(369)	0	238,566	0
Gains on derivatives and hedging activities, net	3,751	16,736	49,423	19,499
Other income	25,412	2,655	32,899	16,033
Total non-interest income	28,794	19,391	320,888	35,532
Non-interest expenses:
Compensation and benefits	72,448	66,495	156,670	145,233
FDIC assessment fees	7,163	7,356	16,053	14,974
Other operating expenses	61,946	64,955	116,132	118,746
Total non-interest expenses	141,557	138,806	288,855	278,953
Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit)	(115,875)	184,078	367,779	398,563
Income tax expense (benefit)	(30,664)	33,801	90,817	90,097
Net income (loss)	(85,211)	150,277	276,962	308,466
Preferred stock dividends	2,478	4,331	5,942	8,799
Net income (loss) attributable to SLM Corporation common stock	$ (87,689)	$ 145,946	$ 271,020	$ 299,667
Basic earnings per common share attributable to SLM Corporation (in dollars per share)	$ (0.23)	$ 0.34	$ 0.69	$ 0.69
Average common shares outstanding (in shares)	375,009,000	429,278,000	392,397,000	431,911,000
Diluted earnings per common share attributable to SLM Corporation (in dollars per share)	$ (0.23)	$ 0.34	$ 0.69	$ 0.69
Average common and common equivalent shares outstanding (in shares)	375,009,000	432,253,000	395,191,000	435,233,000
Declared dividends per common share attributable to SLM Corporation (in dollars per share)	$ 0.06	$ 0.06	$ 0.09	$ 0.09