CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Interest income:
Loans	$ 477,833	$ 564,698	$ 1,513,279	$ 1,672,082
Investments	3,327	2,145	9,086	5,272
Cash and cash equivalents	1,218	23,548	19,740	53,212
Total interest income	482,378	590,391	1,542,105	1,730,566
Interest expense:
Deposits	83,500	143,393	318,858	405,977
Interest expense on short-term borrowings	3,424	1,400	11,041	3,700
Interest expense on long-term borrowings	30,887	40,533	98,750	116,675
Total interest expense	117,811	185,326	428,649	526,352
Net interest income	364,567	405,065	1,113,456	1,204,214
Less: provisions for credit losses	(3,640)	99,526	409,505	256,691
Net interest income after provisions for credit losses	368,207	305,539	703,951	947,523
Non-interest income (loss):
Gains (losses) on sales of loans, net	(4)	0	238,562	0
Gains (loss) on derivatives and hedging activities, net	(15)	1,961	49,408	21,460
Other income	9,646	15,280	42,547	31,313
Total non-interest income	9,627	17,241	330,517	52,773
Operating expenses
Compensation and benefits	62,743	64,980	219,413	210,213
FDIC assessment fees	1,455	8,814	17,508	23,788
Other operating expenses	63,292	79,827	179,424	198,573
Total operating expenses	127,490	153,621	416,345	432,574
Restructuring expenses	24,127	0	24,127	0
Total non-interest expenses	151,617	153,621	440,472	432,574
Income before income tax expense	226,217	169,159	593,996	567,722
Income tax expense	55,189	40,701	146,006	130,798
Net income	171,028	128,458	447,990	436,924
Preferred stock dividends	2,058	4,153	8,000	12,952
Net income attributable to SLM Corporation common stock	$ 168,970	$ 124,305	$ 439,990	$ 423,972
Basic earnings per common share attributable to SLM Corporation (in dollars per share)	$ 0.45	$ 0.29	$ 1.14	$ 0.99
Average common shares outstanding (in shares)	375,094,000	424,149,000	386,587,000	429,295,000
Diluted earnings per common share attributable to SLM Corporation (in dollars per share)	$ 0.45	$ 0.29	$ 1.13	$ 0.98
Average common and common equivalent shares outstanding (in shares)	377,918,000	427,336,000	389,391,000	432,572,000
Declared dividends per common share attributable to SLM Corporation (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0.09	$ 0.09