Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Revenues
Revenue from receivable portfolios, net	$ 1,072,436	$ 992,832	$ 744,870
Other revenues	60,696	51,988	12,588
Net interest income	28,440	27,969	15,906
Total revenues	1,161,572	1,072,789	773,364
Operating expenses
Salaries and employee benefits	270,334	246,247	165,040
Cost of legal collections	229,847	205,661	186,959
Other operating expenses	98,182	93,859	66,649
Collection agency commissions	37,858	33,343	33,097
General and administrative expenses	196,827	146,286	109,713
Depreciation and amortization	33,945	27,949	13,547
Goodwill impairment	49,277	0	0
Total operating expenses	916,270	753,345	575,005
Income from operations	245,302	319,444	198,359
Other (expense) income
Interest expense	(186,556)	(166,942)	(73,269)
Other income (expense)	2,235	113	(4,222)
Total other expense	(184,321)	(166,829)	(77,491)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	60,981	152,615	120,868
Provision for income taxes	(13,597)	(52,725)	(45,388)
Income from continuing operations	47,384	99,890	75,480
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	(1,612)	(1,740)
Net income	47,384	98,278	73,740
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(2,249)	5,448	1,559
Net income attributable to Encore Capital Group, Inc. stockholders	45,135	103,726	75,299
Amounts attributable to Encore Capital Group, Inc.:
Income from continuing operations	45,135	105,338	77,039
Loss income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	(1,612)	(1,740)
Net income attributable to Encore Capital Group, Inc. stockholders	$ 45,135	$ 103,726	$ 75,299
Basic earnings (loss) per share from:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 1.75	$ 4.07	$ 3.12
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	(0.06)	(0.07)
Net basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	1.75	4.01	3.05
Diluted earnings (loss) per share from:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	1.69	3.83	2.94
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	(0.06)	(0.07)
Net diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.69	$ 3.77	$ 2.87
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	25,722	25,853	24,659
Diluted (in shares)	26,647	27,495	26,204