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Goodwill and Intangible Assets Schedule of Goodwill by Segment (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Goodwill [Roll Forward]      
Goodwill, Gross $ 54,591us-gaap_GoodwillGross $ 45,896us-gaap_GoodwillGross  
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss (17,351)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss (17,351)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss  
Goodwill 37,240us-gaap_Goodwill 28,545us-gaap_Goodwill  
Goodwill, Acquired During Period 0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod 8,695us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod  
Goodwill impairment (2,334)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss 0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss 0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Goodwill, Gross 54,591us-gaap_GoodwillGross 54,591us-gaap_GoodwillGross 45,896us-gaap_GoodwillGross
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss (19,685)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss (17,351)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss (17,351)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss
Goodwill 34,906us-gaap_Goodwill 37,240us-gaap_Goodwill 28,545us-gaap_Goodwill
Alternative Investment      
Goodwill [Roll Forward]      
Goodwill, Gross 30,228us-gaap_GoodwillGross
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_AlternativeInvestmentMember
30,228us-gaap_GoodwillGross
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_AlternativeInvestmentMember
 
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss (10,200)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_AlternativeInvestmentMember
(10,200)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_AlternativeInvestmentMember
 
Goodwill 20,028us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_AlternativeInvestmentMember
20,028us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_AlternativeInvestmentMember
 
Goodwill, Acquired During Period 0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_AlternativeInvestmentMember
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_AlternativeInvestmentMember
 
Goodwill impairment 0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_AlternativeInvestmentMember
0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_AlternativeInvestmentMember
 
Goodwill, Gross 30,228us-gaap_GoodwillGross
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_AlternativeInvestmentMember
30,228us-gaap_GoodwillGross
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_AlternativeInvestmentMember
 
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss (10,200)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_AlternativeInvestmentMember
(10,200)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_AlternativeInvestmentMember
 
Goodwill 20,028us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_AlternativeInvestmentMember
20,028us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_AlternativeInvestmentMember
 
Broker-Dealer      
Goodwill [Roll Forward]      
Goodwill, Gross 24,363us-gaap_GoodwillGross
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_BrokerDealerMember
15,668us-gaap_GoodwillGross
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_BrokerDealerMember
 
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss (7,151)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_BrokerDealerMember
(7,151)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_BrokerDealerMember
 
Goodwill 17,212us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_BrokerDealerMember
8,517us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_BrokerDealerMember
 
Goodwill, Acquired During Period 0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_BrokerDealerMember
8,695us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_BrokerDealerMember
 
Goodwill impairment (2,334)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_BrokerDealerMember
0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_BrokerDealerMember
 
Goodwill, Gross 24,363us-gaap_GoodwillGross
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_BrokerDealerMember
24,363us-gaap_GoodwillGross
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_BrokerDealerMember
 
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss (9,485)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_BrokerDealerMember
(7,151)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_BrokerDealerMember
 
Goodwill $ 14,878us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_BrokerDealerMember
$ 17,212us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= cown_BrokerDealerMember