Stock Compensation and Share Repurchase Plan (Narrative) (Details)		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 18, 2014 $ / shares shares	Nov. 30, 2014 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) shares	Apr. 16, 2013 shares
Shareholders Equity and Share-Based Payments [Line Items]
Stock options granted (in shares) | shares			0		0
Shares issued from exercise of warrants (in shares) | shares				2,889,996
Common stock, shares authorized | shares	400,000,000		400,000,000	400,000,000
Compensation cost			$ 14,383,000	$ 15,292,000	$ 5,017,000
Accelerated compensation expense				2,800,000
Cash received from exercise of stock options			195,000	4,600,000	159,000
Income tax benefits received			5,200,000	6,300,000	1,700,000
Net tax benefit from stock options exercised			$ 552,000	$ 1,200,000	$ 148,000
Stock repurchased during period, shares | shares			571,000	0	98,027
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Shareholders Equity and Share-Based Payments [Line Items]
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested stock awards			$ 3,900,000
Expected recognized over a weighted-average period, years			1 year 6 months
Total fair value of restricted stock shares/units vested and released			$ 4,400,000	$ 4,800,000	$ 0
Cancellation of restricted stock units to pay withholding (in shares) | shares			86,048	129,766
2013 Stock Incentive Plan [Member]
Shareholders Equity and Share-Based Payments [Line Items]
Shares of common stock for issuance under the plan (in shares) | shares						4,000,000
Stock Options [Member]
Shareholders Equity and Share-Based Payments [Line Items]
Compensation cost			$ 13,600,000	$ 12,500,000	5,000,000
Total income tax benefit recognized related to stock-based compensation			5,200,000	4,800,000	1,900,000
Total intrinsic value of options outstanding			1,400,000
Total intrinsic value of options exercisable			$ 1,300,000
Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, options, exercisable, weighted average remaining contractual term			3 years 8 months 12 days
Total intrinsic value of options exercised			$ 535,000	3,100,000	2,300,000
Stock option compensation cost			$ 925,000	$ 6,800,000	6,400,000
Stock repurchase program number of shares tendered | shares			51,693	161,568
Nonvested Stock [Member]
Shareholders Equity and Share-Based Payments [Line Items]
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested stock awards			$ 111,000
Expected recognized over a weighted-average period, years			1 year 4 months 24 days
Restricted Stock [Member]
Shareholders Equity and Share-Based Payments [Line Items]
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested stock awards			$ 8,700,000
Expected recognized over a weighted-average period, years			1 year 1 month 17 days
Fair value of restricted shares			$ 8,600,000	$ 7,100,000	$ 2,000,000
Cancellation of restricted stock shares to pay withholding (in shares) | shares			135,474	107,131
Stock Repurchase Plan [Member]
Shareholders Equity and Share-Based Payments [Line Items]
Stock repurchase program number of shares authorized, amended | shares			15,000,000
Stock repurchase program, remaining number of shares authorized to be repurchased | shares			11,400,000
Subsequent To 2011 [Member] | Restricted Stock [Member]
Shareholders Equity and Share-Based Payments [Line Items]
Share-based compensation award, vesting period			3 years
Sterling Financial Corporation [Member]
Shareholders Equity and Share-Based Payments [Line Items]
Common shares issued (in shares) | shares	104,385,087
Stock options granted (in shares) | shares	439,921
Warrants outstanding (in shares) | shares	2,960,238
Equity issuable, share conversion ratio	1.671
Exercise price of warrants (usd per share) | $ / shares	$ 12.88
Shares issued from exercise of warrants (in shares) | shares		2,889,896
Value of shares issued from exercise of warrants		$ 6,600,000
Sterling Financial Corporation [Member] | Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Shareholders Equity and Share-Based Payments [Line Items]
Restricted stock units granted (in shares) | shares	994,214
Equity issuable, share conversion ratio	1.7896