CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Shares	Additional Paid in Capital	Common Shares Held in Rabbi Trust	Accumulated Earnings and Dividends	Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income	Noncontrolling Interests – Partially Owned Properties Noncontrolling interests – partially owned properties	AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP	AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income	AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP Noncontrolling Interests – Partially Owned Properties Noncontrolling interests – partially owned properties	General Partner AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP	Limited Partner AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP
Equity, Beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		136,967,286
Equity, Beginning at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 3,546,801	$ 1,370	$ 4,458,240	$ (3,092)	$ (971,070)	$ (4,397)	$ 65,750
Capital, Beginning (in units) at Dec. 31, 2018											12,222	137,024,667
Capital, Beginning at Dec. 31, 2018								$ 3,546,801	$ (4,397)	$ 65,750	$ 55	$ 3,485,393
Equity, Beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018				69,603
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Adjustments to reflect redeemable noncontrolling interests at fair value	(2,547)		(2,547)					(2,547)				(2,547)
Amortization of restricted stock awards and vesting of restricted stock units	3,765		3,765					3,765				$ 3,765
Vesting of restricted stock awards (in shares)		180,961										180,961
Vesting of restricted stock awards	(3,831)		(3,831)					(3,831)				$ (3,831)
Distributions to common and restricted unit holders and other								(63,611)			(6)	$ (63,605)
Distributions to common and restricted stockholders/unit holders and other	(63,611)				(63,611)
Contributions by noncontrolling interests - partially owned properties	625						625	625		625
Distributions to noncontrolling interests - partially owned properties	(3,661)						(3,661)	(3,661)		(3,661)
Conversion of common and preferred operating partnership units to common stock (in shares)		42,271										42,271
Conversion of common and preferred operating partnership units to common stock	251		251					251				$ 251
Change in fair value of interest rate swaps and other	(5,794)					(5,794)		(5,794)	(5,794)
Deposits (withdraws) to deferred compensation plan, net of withdraws (deposits) (in shares)		(1,829)		1,829
Deposits (withdraws) to deferred compensation plan, net of withdraws (deposits)			70	$ (70)
Net income	31,109				29,640		1,469	31,109		1,469	$ 3	$ 29,637
Equity, Ending (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019		137,188,689
Equity, Ending (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019				71,432
Equity, Ending at Mar. 31, 2019	3,503,107	$ 1,370	4,455,948	$ (3,162)	(1,005,041)	(10,191)	64,183
Capital, Ending (in units) at Mar. 31, 2019											12,222	137,247,899
Capital, Ending at Mar. 31, 2019								3,503,107	(10,191)	64,183	$ 52	$ 3,449,063
Equity, Beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		136,967,286
Equity, Beginning at Dec. 31, 2018	3,546,801	$ 1,370	4,458,240	$ (3,092)	(971,070)	(4,397)	65,750
Capital, Beginning (in units) at Dec. 31, 2018											12,222	137,024,667
Capital, Beginning at Dec. 31, 2018								3,546,801	(4,397)	65,750	$ 55	$ 3,485,393
Equity, Beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018				69,603
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Termination of interest rate swaps	(13,159)
Equity, Ending (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019		137,200,511
Equity, Ending (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019				75,535
Equity, Ending at Jun. 30, 2019	3,440,885	$ 1,372	4,460,412	$ (3,368)	(1,059,633)	(18,784)	60,886
Capital, Ending (in units) at Jun. 30, 2019											12,222	137,263,824
Capital, Ending at Jun. 30, 2019								3,440,885	(18,784)	60,886	$ 48	$ 3,398,735
Equity, Beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		136,967,286
Equity, Beginning at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 3,546,801	$ 1,370	4,458,240	$ (3,092)	(971,070)	(4,397)	65,750
Capital, Beginning (in units) at Dec. 31, 2018											12,222	137,024,667
Capital, Beginning at Dec. 31, 2018								3,546,801	(4,397)	65,750	$ 55	$ 3,485,393
Equity, Beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018				69,603
Equity, Ending (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019		137,326,824
Equity, Ending (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019	77,928			77,928
Equity, Ending at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 3,338,674	$ 1,373	4,458,456	$ (3,486)	(1,144,721)	(16,946)	43,998
Capital, Ending (in units) at Dec. 31, 2019											12,222	137,392,530
Capital, Ending at Dec. 31, 2019								3,338,674	(16,946)	43,998	$ 40	$ 3,311,582
Equity, Beginning (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019		137,188,689
Equity, Beginning at Mar. 31, 2019	3,503,107	$ 1,370	4,455,948	$ (3,162)	(1,005,041)	(10,191)	64,183
Capital, Beginning (in units) at Mar. 31, 2019											12,222	137,247,899
Capital, Beginning at Mar. 31, 2019								3,503,107	(10,191)	64,183	$ 52	$ 3,449,063
Equity, Beginning (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019				71,432
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Adjustments to reflect redeemable noncontrolling interests at fair value	660		660					660				$ 660
Amortization of restricted stock awards and vesting of restricted stock units (in units)		15,925										15,925
Amortization of restricted stock awards and vesting of restricted stock units	3,744		3,744					3,744				$ 3,744
Vesting of restricted stock awards	(144)	$ 2	(146)					(144)				(144)
Distributions to common and restricted unit holders and other								(64,978)			(5)	(64,973)
Distributions to common and restricted stockholders/unit holders and other	(64,978)				(64,978)
Contributions by noncontrolling interests - partially owned properties	79						79	79		79
Distributions to noncontrolling interests - partially owned properties	(3,037)						(3,037)	(3,037)		(3,037)
Change in fair value of interest rate swaps and other	4,566					4,566		4,566	4,566
Termination of interest rate swaps	(13,159)					(13,159)		(13,159)	(13,159)
Deposits (withdraws) to deferred compensation plan, net of withdraws (deposits) (in shares)		(4,103)		4,103
Deposits (withdraws) to deferred compensation plan, net of withdraws (deposits)			206	$ (206)
Net income	10,047				10,386		(339)	10,047		(339)	$ 1	$ 10,385
Equity, Ending (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019		137,200,511
Equity, Ending (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019				75,535
Equity, Ending at Jun. 30, 2019	3,440,885	$ 1,372	4,460,412	$ (3,368)	(1,059,633)	(18,784)	60,886
Capital, Ending (in units) at Jun. 30, 2019											12,222	137,263,824
Capital, Ending at Jun. 30, 2019								3,440,885	(18,784)	60,886	$ 48	$ 3,398,735
Equity, Beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019		137,326,824
Equity, Beginning at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 3,338,674	$ 1,373	4,458,456	$ (3,486)	(1,144,721)	(16,946)	43,998
Capital, Beginning (in units) at Dec. 31, 2019											12,222	137,392,530
Capital, Beginning at Dec. 31, 2019								3,338,674	(16,946)	43,998	$ 40	$ 3,311,582
Equity, Beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019	77,928			77,928
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Adjustments to reflect redeemable noncontrolling interests at fair value	$ 9,490		9,490					9,490				9,490
Amortization of restricted stock awards and vesting of restricted stock units	3,988		3,988					3,988				$ 3,988
Vesting of restricted stock awards (in shares)		199,695										199,695
Vesting of restricted stock awards	(4,155)	$ 2	(4,157)					(4,155)				$ (4,155)
Distributions to common and restricted unit holders and other								(65,242)			(6)	(65,236)
Distributions to common and restricted stockholders/unit holders and other	(65,242)				(65,242)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests - partially owned properties	(2,566)						(2,566)	(2,566)		(2,566)
Change in fair value of interest rate swaps and other	(9,801)					(9,801)		(9,801)	(9,801)
Deposits (withdraws) to deferred compensation plan, net of withdraws (deposits) (in shares)		(3,488)		3,488
Deposits (withdraws) to deferred compensation plan, net of withdraws (deposits)			129	$ (129)
Net income	81,750				80,855		895	81,750		895	$ 7	$ 80,848
Equity, Ending (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020		137,523,031
Equity, Ending (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020				81,416
Equity, Ending at Mar. 31, 2020	3,352,138	$ 1,375	4,467,906	$ (3,615)	(1,129,108)	(26,747)	42,327
Capital, Ending (in units) at Mar. 31, 2020											12,222	137,592,225
Capital, Ending at Mar. 31, 2020								3,352,138	(26,747)	42,327	$ 41	$ 3,336,517
Equity, Beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019		137,326,824
Equity, Beginning at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 3,338,674	$ 1,373	4,458,456	$ (3,486)	(1,144,721)	(16,946)	43,998
Capital, Beginning (in units) at Dec. 31, 2019											12,222	137,392,530
Capital, Beginning at Dec. 31, 2019								3,338,674	(16,946)	43,998	$ 40	$ 3,311,582
Equity, Beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019	77,928			77,928
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Termination of interest rate swaps	$ 0
Equity, Ending (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020		137,540,345
Equity, Ending (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020	91,746			91,746
Equity, Ending at Jun. 30, 2020	$ 3,271,030	$ 1,375	4,469,251	$ (3,951)	(1,207,645)	(26,465)	38,465
Capital, Ending (in units) at Jun. 30, 2020											12,222	137,619,869
Capital, Ending at Jun. 30, 2020								3,271,030	(26,465)	38,465	$ 35	$ 3,258,995
Equity, Beginning (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020		137,523,031
Equity, Beginning at Mar. 31, 2020	3,352,138	$ 1,375	4,467,906	$ (3,615)	(1,129,108)	(26,747)	42,327
Capital, Beginning (in units) at Mar. 31, 2020											12,222	137,592,225
Capital, Beginning at Mar. 31, 2020								3,352,138	(26,747)	42,327	$ 41	$ 3,336,517
Equity, Beginning (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020				81,416
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Adjustments to reflect redeemable noncontrolling interests at fair value	(3,410)		(3,410)					(3,410)				$ (3,410)
Amortization of restricted stock awards and vesting of restricted stock units (in units)		27,644										27,644
Amortization of restricted stock awards and vesting of restricted stock units	4,439		4,439					4,439				$ 4,439
Vesting of restricted stock awards	(20)		(20)					(20)				(20)
Distributions to common and restricted unit holders and other								(65,193)			(5)	(65,188)
Distributions to common and restricted stockholders/unit holders and other	(65,193)				(65,193)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests - partially owned properties	(1,816)						(1,816)	(1,816)		(1,816)
Change in fair value of interest rate swaps and other	282					282		282	282
Termination of interest rate swaps	0
Deposits (withdraws) to deferred compensation plan, net of withdraws (deposits) (in shares)		(10,330)		10,330
Deposits (withdraws) to deferred compensation plan, net of withdraws (deposits)			336	$ (336)
Net income	$ (15,390)				(13,344)		(2,046)	(15,390)		(2,046)	$ (1)	$ (13,343)
Equity, Ending (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020		137,540,345
Equity, Ending (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020	91,746			91,746
Equity, Ending at Jun. 30, 2020	$ 3,271,030	$ 1,375	$ 4,469,251	$ (3,951)	$ (1,207,645)	$ (26,465)	$ 38,465
Capital, Ending (in units) at Jun. 30, 2020											12,222	137,619,869
Capital, Ending at Jun. 30, 2020								$ 3,271,030	$ (26,465)	$ 38,465	$ 35	$ 3,258,995