Revenue Recognition, Contracts with Customers, Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Jul. 31, 2021	Jul. 31, 2020
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue		$ 488,388	$ 431,326
Research Publishing & Platforms [Member] | Research Publishing [Member] | Journal Subscriptions, Open Access and Comprehensive Agreements [Member] | Product Concentration Risk [Member] | Revenue from Contract with Customers [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue percentage		80.00%
Academic & Professional Learning [Member] | Education Publishing [Member] | Print and Digital [Member] | Transferred at Point in Time [Member] | Product Concentration Risk [Member] | Revenue from Contract with Customers [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue percentage		75.00%
Academic & Professional Learning [Member] | Education Publishing [Member] | Digital Courseware [Member] | Transferred over Time [Member] | Product Concentration Risk [Member] | Revenue from Contract with Customers [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue percentage		7.00%
Academic & Professional Learning [Member] | Professional Learning [Member] | Professional Publishing, and Licensing and Other, [Member] | Transferred at Point in Time [Member] | Product Concentration Risk [Member] | Revenue from Contract with Customers [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue percentage		61.00%
Academic & Professional Learning [Member] | Professional Learning [Member] | Corporate Training and Corporate Learning [Member] | Transferred over Time [Member] | Product Concentration Risk [Member] | Revenue from Contract with Customers [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue percentage		39.00%
Education Services [Member] | Talent Development Services [Member] | Wiley NXT [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue			500
Operating Segments [Member] | Research Publishing & Platforms [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue		$ 274,756	240,810
Operating Segments [Member] | Research Publishing & Platforms [Member] | Research Publishing [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue		263,358	230,464
Operating Segments [Member] | Research Publishing & Platforms [Member] | Research Platforms [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue		11,398	10,346
Operating Segments [Member] | Academic & Professional Learning [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue	[1]	139,264	126,432
Operating Segments [Member] | Academic & Professional Learning [Member] | Education Publishing [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue	[2]	66,380	63,603
Operating Segments [Member] | Academic & Professional Learning [Member] | Professional Learning [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue		72,884	62,829
Operating Segments [Member] | Education Services [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue	[1]	74,368	64,084
Operating Segments [Member] | Education Services [Member] | University Services [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue	[3]	54,394	50,262
Operating Segments [Member] | Education Services [Member] | Talent Development Services [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue	[2],[4]	$ 19,974	$ 13,822

[1] In May 2021, we moved the WileyNXT product offering from Academic & Professional Learning to Education Services. As a result, the prior period results related to the WileyNXT product offering have been included in Education Services. The Revenue, Adjusted Contribution to Profit and Depreciation and Amortization for WileyNXT was $0.5 million, $0.1 million, and none, respectively, for the three months ended July 31, 2020. There were no changes to our total consolidated financial results.

[2] In May 2021, we moved the WileyNXT product offering from Academic & Professional Learning – Education Publishing to Education Services – Talent Development Services. As a result, the prior period results related to the WileyNXT product offering have been included in Education Services - Talent Development Services. The revenue was $0.5 million for the three months ended July 31, 2020. There were no changes to our total consolidated financial results.

[3] University Services was previously referred to as Education Services OPM.

[4] Talent Development Services was previously referred to as mthree.