Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net Sales (Note 1)	[1]	$ 2,773,270,000	$ 2,345,966,000	$ 1,869,750,000
Cost of Sales		2,346,201,000	1,950,156,000	1,486,137,000
Gross Profit		427,069,000	395,810,000	383,613,000
Operating Expenses:
Selling (Note 1)		59,030,000	59,186,000	55,543,000
Administrative (Note 1)		102,177,000	92,906,000	87,362,000
Research, development and technical services (Note 1)		66,633,000	62,689,000	57,986,000
Deferred compensation (income) expense (Note 12)		(9,393,000)	6,895,000	9,988,000
Total Operating expenses		218,447,000	221,676,000	210,879,000
Goodwill impairment (Note 4)		(978,000)
Business restructuring and loss on asset disposition (Note 22)		(308,000)	(3,353,000)	(1,212,000)
Operating Income		207,336,000	170,781,000	171,522,000
Other Income (Expense):
Interest, net (Note 6)		(9,809,000)	(5,753,000)	(5,409,000)
Other, net (Note 8)		(8,824,000)	7,509,000	4,954,000
Nonoperating Income (Expense), Total		(18,633,000)	1,756,000	(455,000)
Income Before Provision for Income Taxes		188,703,000	172,537,000	171,067,000
Provision for Income Taxes (Note 9)		41,550,000	34,642,000	43,411,000
Net Income		147,153,000	137,895,000	127,656,000
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest (Note 1)			(91,000)	(886,000)
Net Income Attributable to Stepan Company		$ 147,153,000	$ 137,804,000	$ 126,770,000
Net Income Per Common Share Attributable to Stepan Company (Note 18):
Basic		$ 6.46	$ 6.01	$ 5.52
Diluted		$ 6.38	$ 5.92	$ 5.45
Shares Used to Compute Net Income Per Common Share Attributable to Stepan Company (Note 18):
Basic		22,781	22,922	22,949
Diluted		23,064	23,287	23,256

[1] Includes net property, plant and equipment, goodwill and other intangible assets.