Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Revenues
Revenue from receivable portfolios, net	$ 946,615	$ 1,072,436	$ 992,832
Other revenues	82,643	57,531	50,597
Total revenues	1,029,258	1,129,967	1,043,429
Operating expenses
Salaries and employee benefits	281,097	262,281	238,942
Cost of legal collections	200,855	229,847	205,661
Other operating expenses	100,737	93,210	89,934
Collection agency commissions	36,141	37,858	33,343
General and administrative expenses	134,046	191,357	139,977
Depreciation and amortization	34,868	33,160	27,101
Total operating expenses	787,744	847,713	734,958
Income from operations	241,514	282,254	308,471
Other (expense) income
Interest expense	(198,367)	(186,556)	(166,942)
Other income	14,228	2,235	113
Total other expense	(184,139)	(184,321)	(166,829)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	57,375	97,933	141,642
Provision for income taxes	(38,205)	(27,162)	(48,569)
Income from continuing operations	19,170	70,771	93,073
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	(2,353)	(23,387)	5,205
Net income	16,817	47,384	98,278
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	59,753	(2,249)	5,448
Net income attributable to Encore Capital Group, Inc. stockholders	76,570	45,135	103,726
Amounts attributable to Encore Capital Group, Inc.:
Income from continuing operations	78,923	68,522	98,521
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	(2,353)	(23,387)	5,205
Net income attributable to Encore Capital Group, Inc. stockholders	$ 76,570	$ 45,135	$ 103,726
Basic earnings (loss) per share from:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 3.07	$ 2.66	$ 3.81
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	(0.09)	(0.91)	0.20
Net basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	2.98	1.75	4.01
Diluted earnings (loss) per share from:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	3.05	2.57	3.58
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	(0.09)	(0.88)	0.19
Net diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 2.96	$ 1.69	$ 3.77
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	25,713	25,722	25,853
Diluted (in shares)	25,909	26,647	27,495