Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Revenues
Revenue from receivable portfolios	$ 1,167,132	$ 1,053,373	$ 1,030,792
Other revenues	153,425	92,429	82,643
Total revenues	1,320,557	1,145,802	1,113,435
Allowance reversals (allowances) on receivable portfolios, net	41,473	41,236	(84,177)
Total revenues, adjusted by net allowance reversals (allowances)	1,362,030	1,187,038	1,029,258
Operating expenses
Salaries and employee benefits	369,064	315,742	281,097
Cost of legal collections	205,204	200,058	200,855
General and administrative expenses	158,352	158,080	134,046
Other operating expenses	134,934	104,938	100,737
Collection agency commissions	47,948	43,703	36,141
Depreciation and amortization	41,228	39,977	34,868
Total operating expenses	956,730	862,498	787,744
Income from operations	405,300	324,540	241,514
Other (expense) income
Interest expense	(240,048)	(204,161)	(198,367)
Other (expense) income	(8,764)	10,847	14,228
Total other expense	(248,812)	(193,314)	(184,139)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	156,488	131,226	57,375
Provision for income taxes	(46,752)	(52,049)	(38,205)
Income from continuing operations	109,736	79,177	19,170
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	(199)	(2,353)
Net income	109,736	78,978	16,817
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	6,150	4,250	59,753
Net income attributable to Encore Capital Group, Inc. stockholders	115,886	83,228	76,570
Amounts attributable to Encore Capital Group, Inc.:
Income from continuing operations	115,886	83,427	78,923
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	(199)	(2,353)
Net income attributable to Encore Capital Group, Inc. stockholders	$ 115,886	$ 83,228	$ 76,570
Basic earnings (loss) per share from:
Continuing operations (USD per share)	$ 4.09	$ 3.21	$ 3.07
Discontinued operations (USD per share)	0.00	(0.01)	(0.09)
Net basic earnings per share (USD per share)	4.09	3.20	2.98
Diluted earnings (loss) per share from:
Continuing operations (USD per share)	4.06	3.16	3.05
Discontinued operations (USD per share)	0.00	(0.01)	(0.09)
Net diluted earnings per share (USD per share)	$ 4.06	$ 3.15	$ 2.96
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (shares)	28,313	25,972	25,713
Diluted (shares)	28,572	26,405	25,909