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Goodwill and Intangible Assets Schedule of Intangible Assets (Details) (Annual) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross $ 34,064,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross $ 38,704,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross  
Intangible assets, accumulated amortization (in dollars) (25,581,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization (26,610,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization  
Intangible Assets, Net 8,483,000us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill 12,094,000us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill  
Amortization of Intangible Assets 3,600,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets 3,700,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets 2,700,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
Investment Contracts      
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life 5 years    
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross 3,900,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentContractsMember
3,900,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentContractsMember
 
Intangible assets, accumulated amortization (in dollars) (3,900,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentContractsMember
(3,900,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentContractsMember
 
Intangible Assets, Net 0us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentContractsMember
0us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentContractsMember
 
Trade Names      
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross 9,612,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TradeNamesMember
9,612,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TradeNamesMember
 
Intangible assets, accumulated amortization (in dollars) (8,305,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TradeNamesMember
(7,747,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TradeNamesMember
 
Intangible Assets, Net 1,307,000us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TradeNamesMember
1,865,000us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TradeNamesMember
 
Customer Relationships      
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross 13,284,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
14,744,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
 
Intangible assets, accumulated amortization (in dollars) (8,936,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
(8,375,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
 
Intangible Assets, Net 4,348,000us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
6,369,000us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
 
Customer Contracts      
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life 1 year 2 months 12 days    
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross 800,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerContractsMember
800,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerContractsMember
 
Intangible assets, accumulated amortization (in dollars) (800,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerContractsMember
(800,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerContractsMember
 
Intangible Assets, Net 0us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerContractsMember
0us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerContractsMember
 
Noncompete agreements and covenants with limiting conditions acquired      
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross 31,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember
2,697,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember
 
Intangible assets, accumulated amortization (in dollars) (21,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember
(2,583,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember
 
Intangible Assets, Net 10,000us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember
114,000us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember
 
Intellectual property      
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross 6,437,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
6,951,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
 
Intangible assets, accumulated amortization (in dollars) (3,619,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
(3,205,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
 
Intangible Assets, Net 2,818,000us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
3,746,000us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
 
Dahlman Rose & Company, LLC      
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets 2,800,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= cown_DahlmanRoseCompanyLlcMember
   
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life 4 years 8 months 1 day    
Cowen Equity Finance      
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Finite-lived $ 900,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsFinitelived
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= cown_CowenEquityFinanceMember
   
Minimum | Trade Names      
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life 5 years    
Minimum | Customer Relationships      
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life 4 years    
Minimum | Noncompete agreements and covenants with limiting conditions acquired      
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life 1 year    
Minimum | Intellectual property      
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life 3 years    
Maximum | Trade Names      
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life 7 years 6 months    
Maximum | Customer Relationships      
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life 10 years    
Maximum | Noncompete agreements and covenants with limiting conditions acquired      
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life 10 years    
Maximum | Intellectual property      
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life 10 years