Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-13

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name Regulation S-K (SK)
-Number 229
-Section 1405
-Paragraph c
-Publisher SEC

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of writeoff of financing receivable, charged against allowance for credit loss.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 79
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479294/326-20-55-79

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-6

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (d)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-13

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-SubTopic 10
-Topic 310
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481962/310-10-50-11B

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of expense reversal of allowance for credit loss on financing receivable transferred to held-for-sale classification.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481990/310-10-45-2

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 948
-SubTopic 310
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481852/948-310-45-2

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTransferToHeldForSaleAllowanceForCreditLossExpenseReversal
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) on sale of financing receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481326/860-20-50-5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfNotesReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after valuation allowance, of financing receivable held for sale and not part of disposal group. Excludes loan covered under loss sharing agreement and loan classified as investment in debt security.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481990/310-10-45-2

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 948
-SubTopic 310
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481852/948-310-45-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansReceivableHeldForSaleNetNotPartOfDisposalGroup
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis=slm_CreditCardsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Loans Held for Sale (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Loans Held for Sale (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Line Items]
Loans held for sale			$ 0	$ 29,448
Financing receivable allowance for credit loss, transfer to held-to-sale		$ 2,400
Gain (loss) on sale of financing receivable			$ 164,000	$ 328,000	$ 548,000
Credit Cards
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Line Items]
Charge-off		$ 1,500
Gain (loss) on sale of financing receivable	$ (4,000)