Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets, Current [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,600	$ 1,481	$ 1,176	$ 2,497
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	978	991
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Deferred income taxes	110	109
Prepaid and other current assets	189	212
Assets of businesses held for sale	571	503
Total current assets	3,448	3,296
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	251	270
Goodwill	2,869	2,882
Other intangible assets, net	1,488	1,522
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	205	213
Total assets	8,261	8,183
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	168	206
Intercompany payable	0	0
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	193	383
Short-term debt	472	143
Unearned revenue	1,458	1,421
Other current liabilities	488	549
Liabilities of businesses held for sale	203	206
Total current liabilities	2,982	2,908
Long-term debt	3,469	3,468
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	267	276
Other non-current liabilities	353	368
Total liabilities	7,071	7,020
Redeemable noncontrolling interest (Note 8)	920	920
Equity:
Common stock	412	412
Additional paid-in capital	422	475
Retained income	7,838	7,636
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(580)	(600)
Less: common stock in treasury	(7,870)	(7,729)
Total equity — controlling interests	222	194
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	48	49
Total equity	270	243
Total liabilities and equity	8,261	8,183
Eliminations
Assets, Current [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Intercompany receivable	(3,715)	(3,353)
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	0	(1)
Assets of businesses held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	(3,715)	(3,354)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0	0
Goodwill	9	9
Other intangible assets, net	1	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(12,926)	(12,626)
Intercompany loans receivable	(2,133)	(2,117)
Other non-current assets	0	0
Total assets	(18,764)	(18,088)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	0	0
Intercompany payable	(3,715)	(3,354)
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	0	0
Short-term debt	0	0
Unearned revenue	0	(1)
Other current liabilities	0	0
Liabilities of businesses held for sale	0	0
Total current liabilities	(3,715)	(3,355)
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	(2,132)	(2,117)
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	(5,847)	(5,472)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest (Note 8)	920	920
Equity:
Common stock	(2,336)	(2,337)
Additional paid-in capital	(10,638)	(10,694)
Retained income	(967)	(609)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	45	44
Less: common stock in treasury	12	12
Total equity — controlling interests	(13,884)	(13,584)
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	47	48
Total equity	(13,837)	(13,536)
Total liabilities and equity	(18,764)	(18,088)
McGraw Hill Financial, Inc.
Assets, Current [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	171	167	80	1,402
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	122	116
Intercompany receivable	206	208
Deferred income taxes	74	75
Prepaid and other current assets	69	120
Assets of businesses held for sale	16	4
Total current assets	658	690
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	127	141
Goodwill	17	17
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	4,990	4,651
Intercompany loans receivable	17	16
Other non-current assets	68	67
Total assets	5,877	5,582
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	59	71
Intercompany payable	2,191	2,144
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	88	127
Short-term debt	472	143
Unearned revenue	269	254
Other current liabilities	202	191
Liabilities of businesses held for sale	82	80
Total current liabilities	3,363	3,010
Long-term debt	3,469	3,468
Intercompany loans payable	20	21
Pension and other postretirement benefits	218	230
Other non-current liabilities	(25)	(25)
Total liabilities	$ 7,045	6,704
Redeemable noncontrolling interest (Note 8)		0
Equity:
Common stock	$ 412	412
Additional paid-in capital	(240)	(184)
Retained income	6,844	6,701
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(314)	(322)
Less: common stock in treasury	(7,870)	(7,729)
Total equity — controlling interests	(1,168)	(1,122)
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	(1,168)	(1,122)
Total liabilities and equity	5,877	5,582
Standard & Poor's Financial Services, LLC
Assets, Current [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	166	319
Intercompany receivable	1,782	1,872
Deferred income taxes	10	10
Prepaid and other current assets	16	13
Assets of businesses held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	1,974	2,214
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	1	3
Goodwill	0	40
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	671	659
Intercompany loans receivable	371	368
Other non-current assets	19	19
Total assets	3,036	3,303
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	23	54
Intercompany payable	646	675
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	10	89
Short-term debt	0	0
Unearned revenue	212	586
Other current liabilities	(40)	65
Liabilities of businesses held for sale	0	0
Total current liabilities	851	1,469
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	86	98
Total liabilities	$ 937	1,567
Redeemable noncontrolling interest (Note 8)		0
Equity:
Common stock	$ 0	0
Additional paid-in capital	126	1,179
Retained income	1,973	557
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	0	0
Less: common stock in treasury	0	0
Total equity — controlling interests	2,099	1,736
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	2,099	1,736
Total liabilities and equity	3,036	3,303
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets, Current [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	1,429	1,314	$ 1,096	$ 1,095
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	690	556
Intercompany receivable	1,727	1,273
Deferred income taxes	26	24
Prepaid and other current assets	104	80
Assets of businesses held for sale	555	499
Total current assets	4,531	3,746
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	123	126
Goodwill	2,843	2,816
Other intangible assets, net	1,487	1,522
Investments in subsidiaries	7,265	7,316
Intercompany loans receivable	1,745	1,733
Other non-current assets	118	127
Total assets	18,112	17,386
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	86	81
Intercompany payable	878	535
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	95	167
Short-term debt	0	0
Unearned revenue	977	582
Other current liabilities	326	293
Liabilities of businesses held for sale	121	126
Total current liabilities	2,483	1,784
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	2,112	2,096
Pension and other postretirement benefits	49	46
Other non-current liabilities	292	295
Total liabilities	$ 4,936	4,221
Redeemable noncontrolling interest (Note 8)		0
Equity:
Common stock	$ 2,336	2,337
Additional paid-in capital	11,174	10,174
Retained income	(12)	987
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(311)	(322)
Less: common stock in treasury	(12)	(12)
Total equity — controlling interests	13,175	13,164
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	1	1
Total equity	13,176	13,165
Total liabilities and equity	$ 18,112	$ 17,386