Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Revenues
Revenue from receivable portfolios	$ 1,374,717	$ 1,269,288	$ 1,167,132
Changes in expected current and future recoveries	7,246	0	0
Servicing revenue	115,118	126,527	148,044
Other revenues	4,319	9,974	5,381
Total revenues	1,501,400	1,405,789	1,320,557
(Allowances) allowance reversals on receivable portfolios, net	0	(8,108)	41,473
Total revenues, adjusted by net allowances	1,501,400	1,397,681	1,362,030
Operating expenses
Salaries and employee benefits	378,176	376,365	369,064
Cost of legal collections	239,071	202,670	205,204
General and administrative expenses	149,113	148,256	158,352
Other operating expenses	108,944	108,433	134,934
Collection agency commissions	49,754	63,865	47,948
Depreciation and amortization	42,780	41,029	41,228
Goodwill impairment	0	10,718	0
Total operating expenses	967,838	951,336	956,730
Income from operations	533,562	446,345	405,300
Other expense
Interest expense	(209,356)	(217,771)	(237,355)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(40,951)	(8,989)	(2,693)
Other expense	(357)	(18,343)	(8,764)
Total other expense	(250,664)	(245,103)	(248,812)
Income before income taxes	282,898	201,242	156,488
Provision for income taxes	(70,374)	(32,333)	(46,752)
Net income	212,524	168,909	109,736
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(676)	(1,040)	6,150
Net income attributable to Encore Capital Group, Inc. stockholders	$ 211,848	$ 167,869	$ 115,886
Earnings per share attributable to Encore Capital Group, Inc.:
Basic (USD per share)	$ 6.74	$ 5.38	$ 4.09
Diluted (USD per share)	$ 6.68	$ 5.33	$ 4.06
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (shares)	31,427	31,210	28,313
Diluted (shares)	31,710	31,474	28,572