Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Cash flows provided by operating activities:
Net income	$ 259,175	$ 229,011	$ 203,319
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Share-based compensation	10,300	19,508	12,688
Provision for bad debts		8,669	18,478
Depreciation and amortization	18,696	35,673	54,228
Amortization of intangible assets	8,223
Deferred income taxes	1,670	(11,507)	(5,160)
Loss on transaction, net of costs and asset impairment	3,966	12,605
Other, including fixed asset impairments	(335)	2,101	3,883
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable and interest receivable from university partners	766	(51,480)
Accounts receivable		(7,784)	(19,848)
Prepaid expenses and other	2,136	1,553	(2,399)
Right-of-use assets and lease liabilities	833
Accounts payable	(3,095)	(14,306)	5,378
Accrued liabilities	5,078	(15,700)	3,079
Income taxes receivable/payable	(1,044)	(8,662)	16,048
Deferred rent		(189)	(369)
Deferred revenue	(25)	6,881	6,156
Student deposits		(7,288)	9,417
Net cash provided by operating activities	306,344	199,085	304,898
Cash flows used in investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(22,391)	(94,527)	(113,586)
Purchases of land and building improvements related to off-site development	(260)	(330)	(10,368)
Disposition		(131,550)
Funding to GCU at closing in excess of required capital		(7,377)
Repayment of excess funds by GCU		7,377
Return of equity method investment			685
Acquisition, net of cash acquired	(361,184)
Funding to GCU for capital expenditures	(169,819)	(29,996)
Repayment by GCU for capital expenditures	100,000
Purchases of investments	(9,384)	(46,948)	(94,054)
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investments	57,163	65,116	65,259
Net cash used in investing activities	(405,875)	(238,235)	(152,064)
Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities:
Principal payments on notes payable	(92,433)	(6,719)	(6,805)
Debt issuance costs	(2,385)
Proceeds from notes payable	243,750
Net borrowings from revolving line of credit	(68,750)		(25,000)
Repurchase of common shares including shares withheld in lieu of income taxes	(43,913)	(24,758)	(11,300)
Net proceeds from exercise of stock options	3,821	4,632	7,372
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	40,090	(26,845)	(35,733)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	(59,441)	(65,995)	117,101
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period	182,013	248,008	130,907
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period	122,572	182,013	248,008
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information
Cash paid for interest	11,516	1,511	2,252
Cash paid for income taxes	59,903	78,195	69,606
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities
Sale transaction to GCU through Secured Note financing		870,097
Purchases of property and equipment included in accounts payable	469	1,121	$ 6,682
Reclassification of capitalized costs - adoption of ASC 606		9,015
Reclassification of deferred revenue - adoption of ASC 606		7,451
Lease adoption - gross up of right of use assets and lease liabilities	498
ROU Asset and Liability gross up	14,203
Reclassification of interest rate corridor due to expiration	$ 1,100
Reclassification of tax effect within accumulated other comprehensive income		$ 156