Name:	nue_ScheduleOfShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingByExercisePriceLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	nue_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Share Based Compensation Shares Authorized Under Stock Option Plans Exercise Price

No definition available.

Name:	nue_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePrice
Namespace Prefix:	nue_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Share based compensation shares authorized under stock option plans exercise price range outstanding options weighted average exercise price.

No definition available.

Name:	nue_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeOutstandingOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePrice
Namespace Prefix:	nue_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The number of shares reserved for issuance pertaining to the outstanding exercisable stock options as of the balance sheet date in the customized range of exercise prices for which the market and performance vesting condition has been satisfied.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(iii)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The number of shares reserved for issuance pertaining to the outstanding stock options as of the balance sheet date for all option plans in the customized range of exercise prices.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)(ii)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)(i)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Weighted average exercise price as of the balance sheet date for those equity-based payment arrangements exercisable and outstanding.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)(iii)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeExercisableOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePrice1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Weighted average remaining contractual term of outstanding stock options, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Subparagraph (e)(1)
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Paragraph 2
-Section 50
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeOutstandingOptionsWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm2
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=nue_ExercisePriceOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=nue_ExercisePriceTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=nue_ExercisePriceThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=nue_ExercisePriceFourMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=nue_ExercisePriceFiveMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: