Consolidated Statements Of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2020		Dec. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018
REVENUE:
Total revenue		$ 687,314		$ 627,704		$ 581,296
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Educational services and facilities		111,768		101,944		109,897
General and administrative		417,214		430,153		390,707
Depreciation and amortization		14,786		9,145		9,394
Asset impairment		612
Total operating expenses		544,380		541,242		509,998
Operating income		142,934		86,462		71,298
OTHER INCOME:
Interest income		3,852		6,392		3,539
Interest expense		(167)		(167)		(681)
Miscellaneous income		211		335		196
Total other income		3,896		6,560		3,054
PRETAX INCOME		146,830		93,022		74,352
Provision for income taxes		22,476		22,428		18,561
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS		124,354		70,594		55,791
LOSS FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS, net of tax		(90)		(612)		(610)
NET INCOME		$ 124,264		$ 69,982		$ 55,181
NET INCOME PER SHARE - BASIC:
Income from continuing operations		$ 1.79		$ 1.01		$ 0.80
Loss from discontinued operations				(0.01)		(0.01)
Net income per share		1.79	[1]	1.00	[1]	0.79
NET INCOME PER SHARE - DILUTED:
Income from continuing operations		1.74		0.98		0.78
Loss from discontinued operations				(0.01)		(0.01)
Net income per share		$ 1.74	[1]	$ 0.97	[1]	$ 0.77
WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING:
Basic		69,414		70,088		69,598
Diluted		71,265		72,085		71,482
Tuition and Fees [Member]
REVENUE:
Total revenue		$ 684,579		$ 625,056		$ 578,545
Other [Member]
REVENUE:
Total revenue	[2]	$ 2,735		$ 2,648		$ 2,751

[1] Basic and diluted earnings per share are calculated independently for each of the quarters presented. Accordingly, the sum of the quarterly earnings per share amounts may not agree with the annual earnings per share amount for the corresponding year.

[2] Other revenue primarily includes contract training revenue and bookstore sales.