Stockholders' Equity (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Stockholders' Equity and Stock-Based Compensation [Abstract]

Dividends Declared and Paid

	Year Ended September 30,
	2017		2016		2015
Dividends declared and paid	$	29,745	$	26,606	$	24,646
Dividend per share amount		0.485		0.430		0.380

Stock-based Compensation Expense Recognized

	Year Ended September 30,
	2017		2016		2015
Employee stock-based compensation expense	$	17,282	$	15,122	$	14,255

Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value of Options Granted

	Year Ended September 30,
	2017		2016		2015
Weighted-average grant date fair value of options	$	24.98	$	13.39	$	17.02

Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions [Table Text Block]

	Year Ended September 30,
	2017				2016			2015
Weighted-average exercise price per share		62.74			40.26			46.55
Weighted-average grant date market value of Woodward stock		69.45			40.26			46.55
Expected term (years)		6.0	-	8.7	6.3	-	8.7	6.2	-	8.8
Estimated volatility		30.6%	-	33.7%	34.5%		35.1%	36.5%
Estimated dividend yield		0.7%			1.0%			0.7%
Risk-free interest rate		2.0%	-	2.5%	1.7%	-	2.0%	2.0%	-	2.3%

Activity for Stock Option Awards

	Number		Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share
Balance at September 30, 2016		4,944	$	35.35
Options granted		791		62.74
Options exercised		(466)		33.65
Options forfeited		(33)		44.21
Balance at September 30, 2017		5,236		39.58

Changes in Nonvested Stock Options

	Number		Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value Per Share
Balance at September 30, 2016		2,075	$	14.90
Options granted		791		24.98
Options vested		(763)		15.26
Options forfeited		(31)		15.40
Balance at September 30, 2017		2,072		18.61

Stock Options Vested, Or Expected to Vest and Are Exercisable

	Number		Weighted- Average Exercise Price Per Share		Weighted- Average Remaining Life in Years		Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Options outstanding		5,236	$	39.58		5.9	$	199,098
Options vested and exercisable		3,164		32.80		4.5		141,785
Options vested and expected to vest		5,164		39.39		5.9		197,348

Other Stock Option Information

	Year Ended September 30,
	2017		2016		2015
Total fair value of stock options vested	$	11,639	$	10,374	$	9,656
Total intrinsic value of options exercised		16,416		23,178		18,876
Cash received from exercises of stock options		14,196		15,892		8,400
Excess tax benefit realized from exercise of stock options		4,383		6,472		6,959

Changes in Restricted Stock Awards

	Number		Fair Value per Share
Balance at September 30, 2016		24	$	39.43
Shares granted		-		n/a
Shares vested		-		n/a
Shares forfeited		(24)		39.43
Balance at September 30, 2017		-		n/a