Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Assets, Current [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,411	$ 2,392	$ 1,600	$ 1,481
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	1,108	1,122
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	144	157
Total current assets	3,663	3,671
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	265	271
Goodwill	2,960	2,949
Other intangible assets, net	1,474	1,506
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	292	272
Total assets	8,654	8,669
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	162	183
Intercompany payable	0	0
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	205	409
Income taxes currently payable	243	95
Unearned revenue	1,510	1,509
Other current liabilities	349	415
Total current liabilities	2,469	2,611
Long-term debt	3,565	3,564
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	271	274
Other non-current liabilities	425	439
Total liabilities	6,730	6,888
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	1,080	1,080
Equity:
Common stock	412	412
Additional paid-in capital	470	502
Retained income	9,509	9,210
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(735)	(773)
Less: common stock in treasury	(8,867)	(8,701)
Total equity — controlling interests	789	650
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	55	51
Total equity	844	701
Total liabilities and equity	8,654	8,669
Eliminations
Assets, Current [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Intercompany receivable	(7,937)	(1,542)
Prepaid and other current assets	(1)	(1)
Total current assets	(7,938)	(1,543)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0	0
Goodwill	9	9
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(14,638)	(13,970)
Intercompany loans receivable	(1,520)	(1,371)
Other non-current assets	0	0
Total assets	(24,087)	(16,875)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	0	0
Intercompany payable	(7,937)	(1,541)
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	0	0
Income taxes currently payable	0	0
Unearned revenue	0	0
Other current liabilities		0
Total current liabilities	(7,937)	(1,541)
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	(1,520)	(1,371)
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	(1)	(1)
Total liabilities	(9,458)	(2,913)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	1,080	1,080
Equity:
Common stock	(2,386)	(2,460)
Additional paid-in capital	(11,203)	(10,963)
Retained income	(2,224)	(1,721)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	42	44
Less: common stock in treasury	8	7
Total equity — controlling interests	(15,763)	(15,093)
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	54	51
Total equity	(15,709)	(15,042)
Total liabilities and equity	(24,087)	(16,875)
S&P Global Inc.
Assets, Current [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	627	711	171	167
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	129	138
Intercompany receivable	2,737	(165)
Prepaid and other current assets	63	77
Total current assets	3,556	761
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	150	159
Goodwill	261	261
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	5,970	5,464
Intercompany loans receivable	17	17
Other non-current assets	148	134
Total assets	10,102	6,796
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	56	73
Intercompany payable	4,379	1,324
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	86	129
Income taxes currently payable	163	43
Unearned revenue	279	273
Other current liabilities	129	165
Total current liabilities	5,092	2,007
Long-term debt	3,565	3,564
Intercompany loans payable	11	11
Pension and other postretirement benefits	194	196
Other non-current liabilities	56	52
Total liabilities	8,918	5,830
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	412	412
Additional paid-in capital	(218)	(174)
Retained income	10,148	9,721
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(291)	(292)
Less: common stock in treasury	(8,867)	(8,701)
Total equity — controlling interests	1,184	966
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	1,184	966
Total liabilities and equity	10,102	6,796
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	188	131
Intercompany receivable	3,287	837
Prepaid and other current assets	(1)	2
Total current assets	3,474	970
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	1	1
Goodwill	0	0
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	5	680
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	26	24
Total assets	3,506	1,675
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	14	22
Intercompany payable	2,392	40
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	22	69
Income taxes currently payable	0	0
Unearned revenue	215	191
Other current liabilities	12	(51)
Total current liabilities	2,655	271
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	71	74
Total liabilities	2,726	345
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	583	1,154
Retained income	197	176
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	0	0
Less: common stock in treasury	0	0
Total equity — controlling interests	780	1,330
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	780	1,330
Total liabilities and equity	3,506	1,675
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets, Current [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	1,784	1,681	$ 1,429	$ 1,314
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	791	853
Intercompany receivable	1,913	870
Prepaid and other current assets	83	79
Total current assets	4,571	3,483
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	114	111
Goodwill	2,690	2,679
Other intangible assets, net	1,474	1,506
Investments in subsidiaries	8,663	7,826
Intercompany loans receivable	1,503	1,354
Other non-current assets	118	114
Total assets	19,133	17,073
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	92	88
Intercompany payable	1,166	177
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	97	211
Income taxes currently payable	80	52
Unearned revenue	1,016	1,045
Other current liabilities	208	301
Total current liabilities	2,659	1,874
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	1,509	1,360
Pension and other postretirement benefits	77	78
Other non-current liabilities	299	314
Total liabilities	4,544	3,626
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	2,386	2,460
Additional paid-in capital	11,308	10,485
Retained income	1,388	1,034
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(486)	(525)
Less: common stock in treasury	(8)	(7)
Total equity — controlling interests	14,588	13,447
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	1	0
Total equity	14,589	13,447
Total liabilities and equity	$ 19,133	$ 17,073