Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,866	$ 1,917
Restricted cash	20	41
Short-term investments	28	18
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	1,577	1,449
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	221	162
Total current assets	4,712	3,587
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	320	270
Right of use assets	676	0
Goodwill	3,575	3,535	$ 2,989
Other intangible assets, net	1,424	1,524
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	641	525
Total assets	11,348	9,441
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	190	211
Intercompany payable	0	0
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	446	354
Income taxes currently payable	68	73
Unearned revenue	1,928	1,641
Other current liabilities	461	351
Total current liabilities	3,093	2,630
Long-term debt	3,948	3,662
Lease liabilities – non-current	620	0
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	259	229
Other non-current liabilities	624	616
Total liabilities	8,544	7,137
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	2,268	1,620
Equity:
Common stock	294	294
Additional paid-in capital	903	833
Retained income	12,205	11,284
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(624)	(742)
Less: common stock in treasury	(12,299)	(11,041)
Total equity – controlling interests	479	628
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	57	56
Total equity	536	684	$ 766	$ 701
Total liabilities and equity	11,348	9,441
Eliminations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Short-term investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Intercompany receivable	(7,513)	(5,561)
Prepaid and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	(7,513)	(5,561)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0	0
Right of use assets	0	0
Goodwill	9	9
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(20,228)	(16,635)
Intercompany loans receivable	(1,246)	(1,773)
Other non-current assets	(1)	0
Total assets	(28,979)	(23,960)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	0	0
Intercompany payable	(7,513)	(5,561)
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	0	0
Income taxes currently payable	0	0
Unearned revenue	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	(7,513)	(5,561)
Long-term debt	0	0
Lease liabilities – non-current	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	(1,246)	(1,773)
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	(1)	0
Total liabilities	(8,760)	(7,334)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	2,268	1,620
Equity:
Common stock	(2,377)	(2,279)
Additional paid-in capital	(9,203)	(9,641)
Retained income	(11,010)	(6,439)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	48	46
Less: common stock in treasury	0	12
Total equity – controlling interests	(22,542)	(18,301)
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	55	55
Total equity	(22,487)	(18,246)
Total liabilities and equity	(28,979)	(23,960)
S&P Global Inc. | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,130	694
Restricted cash	0	0
Short-term investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	229	163
Intercompany receivable	675	550
Prepaid and other current assets	102	41
Total current assets	2,136	1,448
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	204	192
Right of use assets	402	0
Goodwill	283	261
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	12,134	8,599
Intercompany loans receivable	17	130
Other non-current assets	281	194
Total assets	15,457	10,824
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	80	89
Intercompany payable	6,288	4,453
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	148	125
Income taxes currently payable	7	2
Unearned revenue	297	240
Other current liabilities	187	180
Total current liabilities	7,007	5,089
Long-term debt	3,948	3,662
Lease liabilities – non-current	383	0
Intercompany loans payable	0	114
Pension and other postretirement benefits	178	162
Other non-current liabilities	171	148
Total liabilities	11,687	9,175
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	294	294
Additional paid-in capital	112	72
Retained income	15,836	12,622
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(175)	(299)
Less: common stock in treasury	(12,297)	(11,040)
Total equity – controlling interests	3,770	1,649
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	3,770	1,649
Total liabilities and equity	15,457	10,824
Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Short-term investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	148	109
Intercompany receivable	2,855	2,138
Prepaid and other current assets	2	3
Total current assets	3,005	2,250
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0	0
Right of use assets	1	0
Goodwill	0	0
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	6	6
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	37	45
Total assets	3,049	2,301
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	11	15
Intercompany payable	27	32
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	61	33
Income taxes currently payable	0	0
Unearned revenue	243	235
Other current liabilities	18	16
Total current liabilities	360	331
Long-term debt	0	0
Lease liabilities – non-current	1	0
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	81	75
Total liabilities	442	406
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	632	618
Retained income	1,975	1,277
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	0	0
Less: common stock in treasury	0	0
Total equity – controlling interests	2,607	1,895
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	2,607	1,895
Total liabilities and equity	3,049	2,301
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,736	1,223
Restricted cash	20	41
Short-term investments	28	18
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	1,200	1,177
Intercompany receivable	3,983	2,873
Prepaid and other current assets	117	118
Total current assets	7,084	5,450
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	116	78
Right of use assets	273	0
Goodwill	3,283	3,265
Other intangible assets, net	1,424	1,524
Investments in subsidiaries	8,088	8,030
Intercompany loans receivable	1,229	1,643
Other non-current assets	324	286
Total assets	21,821	20,276
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	99	107
Intercompany payable	1,198	1,076
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	237	196
Income taxes currently payable	61	71
Unearned revenue	1,388	1,166
Other current liabilities	256	155
Total current liabilities	3,239	2,771
Long-term debt	0	0
Lease liabilities – non-current	236	0
Intercompany loans payable	1,246	1,659
Pension and other postretirement benefits	81	67
Other non-current liabilities	373	393
Total liabilities	5,175	4,890
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	2,377	2,279
Additional paid-in capital	9,362	9,784
Retained income	5,404	3,824
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(497)	(489)
Less: common stock in treasury	(2)	(13)
Total equity – controlling interests	16,644	15,385
Total equity – noncontrolling interests	2	1
Total equity	16,646	15,386
Total liabilities and equity	$ 21,821	$ 20,276