Earnings Per Share - Summary of Elements Used in Calculating Basic and Diluted Earnings per Unit (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Net (loss) income	$ (15,422)	$ 10,210	$ 66,639	$ 41,578
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests – partially owned properties	2,078	176	872	(1,552)
Net (loss) income	(13,863)	9,928	66,330	38,995
AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP
Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Net (loss) income	(15,422)	10,210	66,639	41,578
Series A preferred unit distributions	(14)	(9)	(28)	(40)
Amount allocated to participating securities	(519)	(458)	(1,181)	(1,031)
Net (loss) income	$ (13,909)	$ 9,973	$ 66,560	$ 39,169
Denominator:
Basic weighted average common units outstanding (in units)	138,082,035	137,863,484	138,013,840	137,780,364
Diluted weighted average common units outstanding (in units)	138,082,035	138,838,176	139,120,581	138,792,922
Earnings per unit:
Net (loss) income attributable to common unitholders - basic and diluted (in dollars per unit)	$ (0.10)	$ 0.07	$ 0.48	$ 0.28
Noncontrolling interests – partially owned properties | AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP
Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests – partially owned properties	$ 2,046	$ 230	$ 1,130	$ (1,338)
Unvested restricted stock awards | AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP
Denominator:
Unvested restricted stock awards (in units)	0	974,692	1,106,741	1,012,558