Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,917	$ 2,777
Restricted cash	41	2
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	1,449	1,319
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	197	226
Total current assets	3,604	4,324
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	270	275
Goodwill	3,535	2,989	$ 2,949
Other intangible assets, net	1,524	1,388
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	525	449
Total assets	9,458	9,425
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	211	195
Intercompany payable	0	0
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	354	472
Short-term debt	0	399
Income taxes currently payable	72	77
Unearned revenue	1,641	1,613
Accrued legal and regulatory settlements	1	107
Other current liabilities	350	351
Total current liabilities	2,629	3,214
Long-term debt	3,662	3,170
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	229	244
Other non-current liabilities	634	679
Total liabilities	7,154	7,307
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	1,620	1,352
Equity:
Common stock	294	412
Additional paid-in capital	833	525
Retained income	11,284	10,023
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(742)	(649)
Less: common stock in treasury	(11,041)	(9,602)
Total equity – controlling interests	628	709
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	56	57
Total equity	684	766	$ 701	$ 243
Total liabilities and equity	9,458	9,425
Eliminations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Intercompany receivable	(5,561)	(5,079)
Prepaid and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	(5,561)	(5,079)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0	0
Goodwill	9	9
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(16,635)	(16,397)
Intercompany loans receivable	(1,773)	(1,815)
Other non-current assets	0	(1)
Total assets	(23,960)	(23,283)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	0	0
Intercompany payable	(5,561)	(5,079)
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	0	0
Short-term debt		0
Income taxes currently payable	0	0
Unearned revenue	0	0
Accrued legal and regulatory settlements	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	(5,561)	(5,079)
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	(1,773)	(1,816)
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	(7,334)	(6,895)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	1,620	1,352
Equity:
Common stock	(2,279)	(2,318)
Additional paid-in capital	(9,641)	(9,117)
Retained income	(6,439)	(6,431)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	46	46
Less: common stock in treasury	12	23
Total equity – controlling interests	(18,301)	(17,797)
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	55	57
Total equity	(18,246)	(17,740)
Total liabilities and equity	(23,960)	(23,283)
S&P Global Inc. | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	694	632
Restricted cash	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	163	138
Intercompany receivable	550	768
Prepaid and other current assets	58	143
Total current assets	1,465	1,681
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	192	158
Goodwill	261	261
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	8,599	8,364
Intercompany loans receivable	130	116
Other non-current assets	194	215
Total assets	10,841	10,795
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	89	79
Intercompany payable	4,453	3,433
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	125	145
Short-term debt		399
Income taxes currently payable	1	2
Unearned revenue	240	293
Accrued legal and regulatory settlements	0	0
Other current liabilities	180	136
Total current liabilities	5,088	4,487
Long-term debt	3,662	3,170
Intercompany loans payable	114	101
Pension and other postretirement benefits	162	180
Other non-current liabilities	166	376
Total liabilities	9,192	8,314
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	294	412
Additional paid-in capital	72	(216)
Retained income	12,622	12,156
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(299)	(269)
Less: common stock in treasury	(11,040)	(9,602)
Total equity – controlling interests	1,649	2,481
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	1,649	2,481
Total liabilities and equity	10,841	10,795
Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	109	152
Intercompany receivable	2,138	1,784
Prepaid and other current assets	3	(3)
Total current assets	2,250	1,933
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0	10
Goodwill	0	0
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	6	5
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	45	61
Total assets	2,301	2,009
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	15	23
Intercompany payable	32	492
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	33	86
Short-term debt		0
Income taxes currently payable	0	0
Unearned revenue	235	193
Accrued legal and regulatory settlements	0	2
Other current liabilities	16	21
Total current liabilities	331	817
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	75	74
Total liabilities	406	891
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	618	602
Retained income	1,277	516
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	0	0
Less: common stock in treasury	0	0
Total equity – controlling interests	1,895	1,118
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	1,895	1,118
Total liabilities and equity	2,301	2,009
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,223	2,145
Restricted cash	41	2
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	1,177	1,029
Intercompany receivable	2,873	2,527
Prepaid and other current assets	136	86
Total current assets	5,450	5,789
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	78	107
Goodwill	3,265	2,719
Other intangible assets, net	1,524	1,388
Investments in subsidiaries	8,030	8,028
Intercompany loans receivable	1,643	1,699
Other non-current assets	286	174
Total assets	20,276	19,904
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	107	93
Intercompany payable	1,076	1,154
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	196	241
Short-term debt		0
Income taxes currently payable	71	75
Unearned revenue	1,166	1,127
Accrued legal and regulatory settlements	1	105
Other current liabilities	154	194
Total current liabilities	2,771	2,989
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	1,659	1,715
Pension and other postretirement benefits	67	64
Other non-current liabilities	393	229
Total liabilities	4,890	4,997
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	2,279	2,318
Additional paid-in capital	9,784	9,256
Retained income	3,824	3,782
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(489)	(426)
Less: common stock in treasury	(13)	(23)
Total equity – controlling interests	15,385	14,907
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	1	0
Total equity	15,386	14,907
Total liabilities and equity	$ 20,276	$ 19,904