Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	2. BASIS OF PRESENTATION The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, the financial statements do not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, including normal recurring accruals, considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the quarter and year to date ended September 30, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2018. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements presented herein include the accounts of Career Education Corporation and our wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively “CEC”). All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. Our reporting segments are determined in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 280 – Segment Reporting and are based upon how the Company analyzes performance and makes decisions. Each segment represents a group of postsecondary education providers that offer a variety of academic programs. We organize our business across three reporting segments: CTU, AIU (comprises University Group) and All Other Campuses (formerly separately reported as Culinary Arts and Transitional Group). Campuses included in our All Other Campuses segment are currently being taught out and no longer enroll new students or have completed their teach-out. These campuses employ a gradual teach-out process, enabling them to continue to operate while current students have a reasonable opportunity to complete their program of study. During the third quarter of 2018, the Company completed the teach-out of Harrington College of Design, which continues to be reported within the All Other Campuses segment as of September 30, 2018 in accordance with ASC Topic 360 – Property, Plant and Equipment, which limits discontinued operations reporting. Effective January 1, 2018, we have implemented FASB ASC Topic 606 – Revenue from Contracts with Customers. This guidance supersedes all previously issued revenue recognition guidance. As a result of this change in accounting guidance, we have updated our revenue recognition policies and disclosures. The guidance under Topic 606 did not impact the amount of revenue we recognized in previous periods, and also does not impact the amount of revenue recognized prospectively as our revenue recognition methodology remained relatively the same under the new guidance. The guidance under Topic 606 did impact our presentation of financial condition and disclosures. Previously, a student’s entire accounts receivable balance along with their deferred revenue balance was evaluated to determine the net position of the two and the proper reporting of that balance within student receivables, net, or within deferred revenue, net, on our condensed consolidated balance sheets. Under Topic 606, we now separate the contract asset balance from the student receivable balance to determine the amount reported as deferred revenue on the condensed consolidated balance sheets for each student. See Note 5 “Revenue Recognition” for more information.

2. BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, the financial statements do not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, including normal recurring accruals, considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the quarter and year to date ended September 30, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2018.

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements presented herein include the accounts of Career Education Corporation and our wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively “CEC”). All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated.

Our reporting segments are determined in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 280 – Segment Reporting and are based upon how the Company analyzes performance and makes decisions. Each segment represents a group of postsecondary education providers that offer a variety of academic programs. We organize our business across three reporting segments: CTU, AIU (comprises University Group) and All Other Campuses (formerly separately reported as Culinary Arts and Transitional Group). Campuses included in our All Other Campuses segment are currently being taught out and no longer enroll new students or have completed their teach-out. These campuses employ a gradual teach-out process, enabling them to continue to operate while current students have a reasonable opportunity to complete their program of study.

During the third quarter of 2018, the Company completed the teach-out of Harrington College of Design, which continues to be reported within the All Other Campuses segment as of September 30, 2018 in accordance with ASC Topic 360 – Property, Plant and Equipment, which limits discontinued operations reporting.

Effective January 1, 2018, we have implemented FASB ASC Topic 606 – Revenue from Contracts with Customers. This guidance supersedes all previously issued revenue recognition guidance. As a result of this change in accounting guidance, we have updated our revenue recognition policies and disclosures. The guidance under Topic 606 did not impact the amount of revenue we recognized in previous periods, and also does not impact the amount of revenue recognized prospectively as our revenue recognition methodology remained relatively the same under the new guidance. The guidance under Topic 606 did impact our presentation of financial condition and disclosures. Previously, a student’s entire accounts receivable balance along with their deferred revenue balance was evaluated to determine the net position of the two and the proper reporting of that balance within student receivables, net, or within deferred revenue, net, on our condensed consolidated balance sheets. Under Topic 606, we now separate the contract asset balance from the student receivable balance to determine the amount reported as deferred revenue on the condensed consolidated balance sheets for each student. See Note 5 “Revenue Recognition” for more information.