Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 276	$ 281	$ 381	$ 329	$ (821)	$ 217	$ 316	$ 275	$ 1,268	$ (13)	$ 1,466
Less: income from discontinued operations					163	2	6	7	0	178	592
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	276	$ 281	$ 381	329	(984)	$ 215	$ 310	268	1,268	(191)	874
Adjustments to reconcile (loss) income from continuing operations to cash (used for) provided by operating activities from continuing operations:
Depreciation									90	86	86
Amortization of intangibles									67	48	51
Provision for losses on accounts receivable									8	11	22
Deferred income taxes									280	(245)	43
Stock-based compensation									78	100	96
Accrued legal and regulatory settlements									119	1,587	0
Other									46	80	96
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions:
Accounts receivable									(118)	(9)	(35)
Prepaid and other current assets									(4)	(7)	(29)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									(92)	(130)	(94)
Unearned revenue									129	78	109
Accrued legal and regulatory settlement									(1,624)	(35)	0
Other current liabilities									(78)	(16)	(89)
Net change in prepaid / accrued income taxes									61	(93)	(238)
Net change in other assets and liabilities									(35)	(55)	(110)
Cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations									195	1,209	782
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures									(139)	(92)	(117)
Acquisitions, including contingent payments, net of cash acquired									(2,396)	(71)	(47)
Proceeds from dispositions									14	83	51
Changes in short-term investments									(4)	15	(17)
Cash used for investing activities from continuing operations									(2,525)	(65)	(130)
Financing Activities:
Additions to short-term debt, net									143	0	(457)
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net									2,674	0	0
Dividends paid to shareholders									(363)	(326)	(308)
Dividends and other payments paid to noncontrolling interests									(104)	(84)	(75)
Repurchase of treasury shares									(974)	(362)	(978)
Exercise of stock options									86	193	258
Contingent consideration payment									(5)	(11)	(12)
Purchase of additional CRISIL shares									(16)	0	(214)
Excess tax benefits from share-based payments									69	128	43
Intercompany financing activities									0	0	0
Cash provided by (used for) financing activities from continuing operations									1,510	(462)	(1,743)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash from continuing operations									(67)	(65)	(1)
Cash (used for) provided by continuing operations									(887)	617	(1,092)
Discontinued Operations:
Cash (used for) provided by operating activities									(129)	18	(231)
Cash provided by investing activities									0	320	2,129
Cash used for financing activities									0	0	(25)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash									0	0	1
Cash (used for) provided by discontinued operations									(129)	338	1,874
Net change in cash and cash equivalents									(1,016)	955	782
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year				2,497				1,542	2,497	1,542	760
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	1,481				2,497				1,481	2,497	1,542
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)									(1,745)	195	(2,134)
Less: income from discontinued operations										0	0
Net income (loss) from continuing operations									(1,745)	195	(2,134)
Adjustments to reconcile (loss) income from continuing operations to cash (used for) provided by operating activities from continuing operations:
Depreciation									0	0	0
Amortization of intangibles									0	0	0
Provision for losses on accounts receivable									0	0	0
Deferred income taxes									0	0	0
Stock-based compensation									0	0	0
Accrued legal and regulatory settlements									0	0	0
Other									0	0	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions:
Accounts receivable									0	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets									0	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									0	0	0
Unearned revenue									0	0	0
Accrued legal and regulatory settlement									0	0
Other current liabilities									0	0	0
Net change in prepaid / accrued income taxes									0	0	0
Net change in other assets and liabilities									0	0	0
Cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations									(1,745)	195	(2,134)
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures									0	0	0
Acquisitions, including contingent payments, net of cash acquired									0	0	0
Proceeds from dispositions									0	0	0
Changes in short-term investments									0	0	0
Cash used for investing activities from continuing operations									0	0	0
Financing Activities:
Additions to short-term debt, net									0		0
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net									0
Dividends paid to shareholders									0	0	0
Dividends and other payments paid to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Repurchase of treasury shares									0	0	0
Exercise of stock options									0	0	0
Contingent consideration payment									0	0	0
Purchase of additional CRISIL shares									0		0
Excess tax benefits from share-based payments									0	0	0
Intercompany financing activities									1,745	(195)	2,134
Cash provided by (used for) financing activities from continuing operations									1,745	(195)	2,134
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash from continuing operations									0	0	0
Cash (used for) provided by continuing operations									0	0	0
Discontinued Operations:
Cash (used for) provided by operating activities									0	0	0
Cash provided by investing activities										0	0
Cash used for financing activities											0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash											0
Cash (used for) provided by discontinued operations									0	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents									0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year				0				0	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	0				0				0	0	0
McGraw Hill Financial, Inc. | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)									1,449	(326)	2,508
Less: income from discontinued operations										178	726
Net income (loss) from continuing operations									1,449	(504)	1,782
Adjustments to reconcile (loss) income from continuing operations to cash (used for) provided by operating activities from continuing operations:
Depreciation									40	41	40
Amortization of intangibles									0	4	5
Provision for losses on accounts receivable									1	0	1
Deferred income taxes									33	42	39
Stock-based compensation									23	31	35
Accrued legal and regulatory settlements									0	0	0
Other									23	21	68
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions:
Accounts receivable									3	(11)	(2)
Prepaid and other current assets									(13)	(42)	(14)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									(75)	(83)	(120)
Unearned revenue									(5)	8	17
Accrued legal and regulatory settlement									0	0
Other current liabilities									(32)	(51)	(43)
Net change in prepaid / accrued income taxes									(54)	13	(265)
Net change in other assets and liabilities									78	(131)	(190)
Cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations									1,471	(662)	1,353
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures									(67)	(26)	(61)
Acquisitions, including contingent payments, net of cash acquired									(2,243)	0	0
Proceeds from dispositions									0	63	35
Changes in short-term investments									0	0	0
Cash used for investing activities from continuing operations									(2,310)	37	(26)
Financing Activities:
Additions to short-term debt, net									143		(457)
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net									2,674
Dividends paid to shareholders									(363)	(326)	(308)
Dividends and other payments paid to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Repurchase of treasury shares									(974)	(362)	(978)
Exercise of stock options									80	184	254
Contingent consideration payment									(5)	0	0
Purchase of additional CRISIL shares									0		0
Excess tax benefits from share-based payments									69	128	43
Intercompany financing activities									(2,020)	1,377	(43)
Cash provided by (used for) financing activities from continuing operations									(396)	1,001	(1,489)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash from continuing operations									0	3	8
Cash (used for) provided by continuing operations									(1,235)	379	(154)
Discontinued Operations:
Cash (used for) provided by operating activities									0	18	720
Cash provided by investing activities										320	0
Cash used for financing activities											0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash											0
Cash (used for) provided by discontinued operations									0	338	720
Net change in cash and cash equivalents									(1,235)	717	566
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year				1,402				685	1,402	685	119
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	167				1,402				167	1,402	685
Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)									824	(519)	669
Less: income from discontinued operations										0	0
Net income (loss) from continuing operations									824	(519)	669
Adjustments to reconcile (loss) income from continuing operations to cash (used for) provided by operating activities from continuing operations:
Depreciation									18	17	19
Amortization of intangibles									0	0	0
Provision for losses on accounts receivable									1	5	7
Deferred income taxes									290	(272)	0
Stock-based compensation									24	34	33
Accrued legal and regulatory settlements									110	1,587	0
Other									16	39	10
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions:
Accounts receivable									(27)	47	(4)
Prepaid and other current assets									14	(17)	(7)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									(34)	(47)	18
Unearned revenue									66	26	43
Accrued legal and regulatory settlement									(1,624)	(35)
Other current liabilities									(35)	45	(24)
Net change in prepaid / accrued income taxes									0	3	(3)
Net change in other assets and liabilities									8	5	84
Cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations									(349)	918	845
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures									(10)	(14)	(19)
Acquisitions, including contingent payments, net of cash acquired									0	0	0
Proceeds from dispositions									0	0	0
Changes in short-term investments									0	0	0
Cash used for investing activities from continuing operations									(10)	(14)	(19)
Financing Activities:
Additions to short-term debt, net									0		0
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net									0
Dividends paid to shareholders									0	0	0
Dividends and other payments paid to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Repurchase of treasury shares									0	0	0
Exercise of stock options									0	0	0
Contingent consideration payment									0	0	0
Purchase of additional CRISIL shares									0		0
Excess tax benefits from share-based payments									0	0	0
Intercompany financing activities									359	(904)	(826)
Cash provided by (used for) financing activities from continuing operations									359	(904)	(826)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash from continuing operations									0	0	0
Cash (used for) provided by continuing operations									0	0	0
Discontinued Operations:
Cash (used for) provided by operating activities									0	0	0
Cash provided by investing activities										0	0
Cash used for financing activities											0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash											0
Cash (used for) provided by discontinued operations									0	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents									0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year				0				0	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	0				0				0	0	0
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)									740	637	423
Less: income from discontinued operations										0	(134)
Net income (loss) from continuing operations									740	637	557
Adjustments to reconcile (loss) income from continuing operations to cash (used for) provided by operating activities from continuing operations:
Depreciation									32	28	27
Amortization of intangibles									67	44	46
Provision for losses on accounts receivable									6	6	14
Deferred income taxes									(43)	(15)	4
Stock-based compensation									31	35	28
Accrued legal and regulatory settlements									9	0	0
Other									7	20	18
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and dispositions:
Accounts receivable									(94)	(45)	(29)
Prepaid and other current assets									(5)	52	(8)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									17	0	8
Unearned revenue									68	44	49
Accrued legal and regulatory settlement									0	0
Other current liabilities									(11)	(10)	(22)
Net change in prepaid / accrued income taxes									115	(109)	30
Net change in other assets and liabilities									(121)	71	(4)
Cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations									818	758	718
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures									(62)	(52)	(37)
Acquisitions, including contingent payments, net of cash acquired									(153)	(71)	(47)
Proceeds from dispositions									14	20	16
Changes in short-term investments									(4)	15	(17)
Cash used for investing activities from continuing operations									(205)	(88)	(85)
Financing Activities:
Additions to short-term debt, net									0		0
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net									0
Dividends paid to shareholders									0	0	0
Dividends and other payments paid to noncontrolling interests									(104)	(84)	(75)
Repurchase of treasury shares									0	0	0
Exercise of stock options									6	9	4
Contingent consideration payment									0	(11)	(12)
Purchase of additional CRISIL shares									(16)		(214)
Excess tax benefits from share-based payments									0	0	0
Intercompany financing activities									(84)	(278)	(1,265)
Cash provided by (used for) financing activities from continuing operations									(198)	(364)	(1,562)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash from continuing operations									(67)	(68)	(9)
Cash (used for) provided by continuing operations									348	238	(938)
Discontinued Operations:
Cash (used for) provided by operating activities									(129)	0	(951)
Cash provided by investing activities										0	2,129
Cash used for financing activities											(25)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash											1
Cash (used for) provided by discontinued operations									(129)	0	1,154
Net change in cash and cash equivalents									219	238	216
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year				$ 1,095				$ 857	1,095	857	641
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	$ 1,314				$ 1,095				$ 1,314	$ 1,095	$ 857