Major Customer	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Risks and Uncertainties [Abstract]
Major Customer	Major Customer The Company earns loan servicing revenue from a servicing contract with the Department that is currently set to expire on June 16, 2019. Revenue earned by the Company's Loan Systems and Servicing operating segment related to this contract was $155.8 million, $151.7 million, and $133.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively. In April 2016, the Department's Office of Federal Student Aid announced a new contract procurement process for the Department to acquire a single servicing platform to manage all student loans owned by the Department. In May 2016, Nelnet Servicing, a subsidiary of the Company, and Great Lakes submitted a joint response to the procurement as part of their GreatNet joint venture created to respond to the contract solicitation process and to provide services under a new contract in the event that the Department selects it for a contract award. On August 1, 2017, the Department canceled the prior procurement process. On February 20, 2018, the Department's Office of Federal Student Aid released information regarding a new contract procurement process. The contract solicitation process is divided into two phases. Responses for Phase One are due on April 6, 2018. The contract solicitation requests responses from interested vendors for nine components. Vendors may provide a response for an individual, multiple, or all components. The Company intends to respond to Phase One of the solicitation.

Major Customer

The Company earns loan servicing revenue from a servicing contract with the Department that is currently set to expire on June 16, 2019. Revenue earned by the Company's Loan Systems and Servicing operating segment related to this contract was $155.8 million, $151.7 million, and $133.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively. In April 2016, the Department's Office of Federal Student Aid announced a new contract procurement process for the Department to acquire a single servicing platform to manage all student loans owned by the Department.

In May 2016, Nelnet Servicing, a subsidiary of the Company, and Great Lakes submitted a joint response to the procurement as part of their GreatNet joint venture created to respond to the contract solicitation process and to provide services under a new contract in the event that the Department selects it for a contract award. On August 1, 2017, the Department canceled the prior procurement process. On February 20, 2018, the Department's Office of Federal Student Aid released information regarding a new contract procurement process. The contract solicitation process is divided into two phases. Responses for Phase One are due on April 6, 2018. The contract solicitation requests responses from interested vendors for nine components. Vendors may provide a response for an individual, multiple, or all components. The Company intends to respond to Phase One of the solicitation.