Segment Reporting (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended					6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011		Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Number of reporting segments							6
Total Assets	$ 1,145,029,000	[1]					$ 1,145,029,000	[1]			$ 1,316,120,000	[1]
Operating Income (Loss)	(48,247,000)			19,881,000			(109,713,000)		208,067,000
Revenue	332,757,000			428,411,000			1,135,860,000		1,444,989,000
Administrative expense for an estimate for potential reimbursements of government funds									5,000,000
Settlement of administrative expense							3,600,000
Goodwill impairment							(83,350,000)
Insurance recovery related to the settlement of claims under certain insurance policies							19,000,000		7,000,000
Gain on the sale of real estate									1,400,000
CTU [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total Assets	74,039,000	[1]					74,039,000	[1]			74,648,000	[1]
Operating Income (Loss)	9,712,000	[2]		16,755,000	[2]		40,272,000	[2]	87,016,000	[2]
Revenue	88,976,000	[2]		100,477,000	[2]		283,750,000	[2]	330,603,000	[2]
AIU [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total Assets	67,939,000	[1]					67,939,000	[1]			73,090,000	[1]
Operating Income (Loss)	1,084,000			12,430,000			22,623,000		66,384,000
Revenue	71,204,000			85,787,000			238,985,000		288,092,000
Health Education [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total Assets	93,422,000	[1]					93,422,000	[1]			149,444,000	[1]
Operating Income (Loss)	(28,468,000)			(3,632,000)			(107,565,000)	[3]	11,379,000	[3]
Revenue	65,399,000			102,195,000			232,375,000	[3]	328,329,000	[3]
Goodwill impairment						(41,871,000)	(41,871,000)
Asset impairment charges							1,100,000		2,000,000
Trade name impairment charge			1,000,000				1,000,000
Culinary Arts [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total Assets	197,582,000	[1]					197,582,000	[1]			215,318,000	[1]
Operating Income (Loss)	(10,722,000)			3,800,000			(15,171,000)		30,741,000
Revenue	54,583,000			73,686,000			176,430,000		248,718,000
Art & Design [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total Assets	39,847,000	[1]					39,847,000	[1]			88,869,000	[1]
Operating Income (Loss)	(7,963,000)			2,557,000			(55,823,000)	[4]	20,627,000	[4]
Revenue	37,914,000			49,686,000			125,636,000	[4]	170,962,000	[4]
Goodwill impairment						(41,479,000)	(41,479,000)
International [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total Assets	253,353,000	[1]					253,353,000	[1]			277,140,000	[1]
Operating Income (Loss)	(6,444,000)			(3,064,000)			4,275,000		8,729,000
Revenue	14,665,000			16,664,000			78,634,000		78,630,000
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total Assets	398,486,000	[1]					398,486,000	[1]			417,182,000	[1]
Operating Income (Loss)	(5,446,000)			(8,965,000)			1,676,000	[5]	(16,809,000)	[5]
Revenue	16,000			(84,000)			50,000	[5]	(345,000)	[5]
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total Assets	$ 20,361,000	[1]					$ 20,361,000	[1]			$ 20,429,000	[1]

[1] Total assets do not include the following intercompany activity: receivable or payable activity between schools and corporate and investments in subsidiaries

[2] During the third quarter of 2011, CTU recorded an accrual of $5.0 million within administrative expense for an estimate for potential reimbursements of government funds, which was subsequently settled for $3.6 million during the third quarter of 2012.

[3] Year to date September 2012 included a $41.9 million goodwill impairment charge, $1.1 million in asset impairment charges recorded as a result of the decision made in the second quarter of 2012 to teach out several schools and a $1.0 million trade name impairment charge. Year to date September 2011 included a $2.0 million charge related to the impairment of accreditation rights intangible assets.

[4] Year to date September 2012 included a $41.5 million goodwill impairment charge.

[5] Year to date September 2012 included a $19.0 million insurance recovery related to the settlement of claims under certain insurance policies. Year to date September 30, 2011 included a $7.0 million insurance recovery related to previously settled legal matters and a $1.4 million gain on the sale of real estate.