Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 1,374	$ 1,290	$ 5,313	$ 5,051	$ 4,702
Expenses:
Operating-related expenses			1,672	1,627	1,564
Selling and general expenses			1,578	3,168	1,631
Depreciation			90	86	86
Amortization of intangibles			67	48	51
Total expenses			3,407	4,929	3,332
Other (income) loss			(11)	9	12
Operating profit	424	(1,148)	1,917	113	1,358
Interest expense, net			102	59	59
Income from continuing operations before taxes on income			1,815	54	1,299
Provision for taxes on income			547	245	425
Income (loss) from continuing operations	276	(984)	1,268	(191)	874
Discontinued operations, net of tax:
Income from discontinued operations			0	18	3
Gain on sale of discontinued operations (includes $(75) accumulated other comprehensive income reclassifications in 2013 for foreign currency translation adjustment)			0	160	589
Discontinued operations, net		163	0	178	592
Net income (loss)	276	(821)	1,268	(13)	1,466
Less: net income from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests			(112)	(102)	(91)
Less: net loss from discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interests			0	0	1
Net income (loss) attributable to McGraw Hill Financial, Inc.	248	(846)	1,156	(115)	1,376
Amounts attributable to McGraw Hill Financial, Inc. common shareholders:
Income (loss) from continuing operations	248	(1,009)	1,156	(293)	783
Income from discontinued operations		163	0	178	593
Net income (loss) attributable to McGraw Hill Financial, Inc.	$ 248	$ (846)	$ 1,156	$ (115)	$ 1,376
Income (loss) from continuing operations:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.92	$ (3.71)	$ 4.26	$ (1.08)	$ 2.85
Diluted (in dollars per share)	0.91	(3.71)	4.21	(1.08)	2.80
Income from discontinued operations:
Basic (in dollars per share)		0.60	0.00	0.66	2.16
Diluted (in dollars per share)		0.60	0.00	0.66	2.12
Net income (loss):
Basic (in dollars per share)	0.92	(3.11)	4.26	(0.42)	5.01
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.91	$ (3.11)	$ 4.21	$ (0.42)	$ 4.91
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)			271.6	271.5	274.5
Diluted (in shares)			274.6	271.5	279.8
Actual shares outstanding at year end (in shares)	265.2	272.0	265.2	272.0	270.4
Dividend declared per common share (in dollars per share)			$ 1.32	$ 1.20	$ 1.12