Segment Reporting - Summary Financial Information by Reporting Segment (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 157,853	$ 148,065
Percentage of total revenue		100.00%	100.00%
Operating Income (Loss)		$ 29,971	$ 20,529
Total Assets	[1]	530,156		$ 482,493
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Assets	[1]	298		178
University Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 157,836	$ 147,728
Percentage of total revenue		100.00%	99.80%
Operating Income (Loss)		$ 38,003	$ 31,321
Total Assets	[1]	166,131		135,846
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	[2],[3]	17	$ 337
Percentage of total revenue	[2]		0.20%
Operating Income (Loss)	[2]	(8,032)	$ (10,792)
Total Assets	[1],[2]	363,727		346,469
CTU [Member] | University Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 97,057	$ 94,607
Percentage of total revenue		61.50%	63.90%
Operating Income (Loss)		$ 29,691	$ 27,185
Total Assets	[1]	98,631		76,713
AIU [Member] | University Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 60,779	$ 53,121
Percentage of total revenue		38.50%	35.90%
Operating Income (Loss)		$ 8,312	$ 4,136
Total Assets	[1]	$ 67,500		$ 59,133

[1] Total assets do not include intercompany receivable or payable activity between institutions and corporate and investments in subsidiaries.

[2] Corporate and Other includes results of operations for closed campuses.

[3] Revenue recorded within Corporate and Other relates to closed campuses which are now reported within this category