Variable Interest Entities Investments in VIEs That Are Consolidated (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2014	Apr. 30, 2013	Apr. 30, 2014	Apr. 30, 2013	Oct. 31, 2013
Investments In Variable Interest Entities That Are Consolidated Details [Line Items]
Senior and subordinated note obligations	$ 608,481,000		$ 608,481,000		$ 279,127,000
Liabilities:
Senior and subordinated note obligations	608,481,000		608,481,000		279,127,000
Liabilities:
Line of credit	0		0		247,789,000
Redeemable preferred shares	27,333,000		27,333,000		64,952,000
Eaton Vance CLO IX [Member]
Investments In Variable Interest Entities That Are Consolidated Details [Line Items]
Unpaid principal balance (Total CLO bank loan investments)	183,569,000		183,569,000		255,474,000
Unpaid principal balance (over) under fair value (Total CLO bank loan investments)	298,000		298,000		(364,000)
Fair Value (Total CLO bank loan investments)	183,867,000		183,867,000		255,110,000
Unpaid principal balance (90 days or more past due)	500,000		500,000		500,000
Unpaid principal balance (over) under fair value (90 days or more past due)	(500,000)		(500,000)		(500,000)
Fair Value (90 days or more past due)	0		0		0
Unpaid principal balance (Senior and subordinated note obligations)	230,261,000		230,261,000		294,037,000
Unpaid principal balance (over) under fair value (debt obligations)	(13,640,000)		(13,640,000)		(14,910,000)
Senior and subordinated note obligations	216,621,000		216,621,000		279,127,000
Net (losses) gains resulting from change in fair value of the CLO entitys investments	(700,000)	2,000,000	(200,000)	2,500,000
Net gains (losses) resulting from an increase in the fair value of the CLO note obligations.	(300,000)	(1,700,000)	(1,300,000)	(5,200,000)
Combined consolidated CLO entity net gains or (losses).	(1,000,000)	300,000	(1,500,000)	(2,700,000)
Minimum variable interest rate on the note obligations held by the CLO entity (as a percent)			0.21%
Maximum variable interest rate on the note obligations held by the CLO entity (as a percent)			1.50%
Maturity date			Apr. 20, 2019
The third-party note holders of the CLO entities net income (loss) recorded during the period included in net income attributable to non-controlling and other beneficial interests	(1,600,000)	100,000	(2,200,000)	(3,200,000)
The CLOs net income (loss) recorded in the Company's Consolidated Statement of Income	(700,000)	1,200,000	(400,000)	(1,300,000)
Net income attributable to Eaton Vance Corp. shareholders related to the consolidated CLO entity	900,000	1,200,000	1,700,000	1,900,000
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	33,374,000		33,374,000		30,462,000
Bank loans and other investments	189,282,000		189,282,000		261,529,000
Other assets	1,476,000		1,476,000		514,000
Liabilities:
Senior and subordinated note obligations	216,621,000		216,621,000		279,127,000
Other liabilities	340,000		340,000		4,046,000
Appropriated retained earnings	5,466,000		5,466,000		7,618,000
Net interest in Eaton Vance CLO IX	1,705,000		1,705,000		1,714,000
Direct equity interest in the Consolidated CLO entity	1,500,000		1,500,000		1,500,000
Eaton Vance CLO 2013-1 [Member]
Investments In Variable Interest Entities That Are Consolidated Details [Line Items]
Unpaid principal balance (Total CLO bank loan investments)	409,653,000		409,653,000		421,830,000
Unpaid principal balance (over) under fair value (Total CLO bank loan investments)	2,242,000		2,242,000		2,322,000
Fair Value (Total CLO bank loan investments)	411,895,000		411,895,000		424,152,000
Unpaid principal balance (90 days or more past due)	0		0		0
Unpaid principal balance (over) under fair value (90 days or more past due)	0		0		0
Fair Value (90 days or more past due)	0		0		0
Unpaid principal balance (Senior note obligations and redeemable preferred shares)	421,598,000		421,598,000
Unpaid principal balance (over) under fair value (debt obligations)	(2,405,000)		(2,405,000)
Senior note and redeemable preferred shares	419,193,000		419,193,000
Net (losses) gains resulting from change in fair value of the CLO entitys investments	(300,000)		(39,000)
Net gains (losses) resulting from an increase in the fair value of the CLO note obligations.	(800,000)		2,400,000
Combined consolidated CLO entity net gains or (losses).	(1,100,000)		2,400,000
Minimum variable interest rate on the note obligations held by the CLO entity (as a percent)			1.36%
Maximum variable interest rate on the note obligations held by the CLO entity (as a percent)			5.75%
Maturity date			Nov. 13, 2024
The third-party note holders of the CLO entities net income (loss) recorded during the period included in net income attributable to non-controlling and other beneficial interests	800,000		1,100,000
The CLOs net income (loss) recorded in the Company's Consolidated Statement of Income	1,500,000		2,000,000
Net income attributable to Eaton Vance Corp. shareholders related to the consolidated CLO entity	700,000		900,000
Liabilities:
Direct equity interest in the Consolidated CLO entity	8,200,000		8,200,000
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	33,733,000		33,733,000		6,179,000
Bank loans and other investments	411,897,000		411,897,000		424,152,000
Other assets	7,042,000		7,042,000		5,300,000
Liabilities:
Line of credit	0		0		247,789,000
Senior note obligations	391,860,000		391,860,000		0
Redeemable preferred shares	27,333,000		27,333,000		64,952,000
Other liabilities	20,750,000		20,750,000		120,259,000
Appropriated retained earnings	3,688,000		3,688,000		2,631,000
Net interest in Eaton Vance CLO 2013-1	9,041,000		9,041,000		0
Other liabilities due to brokers	$ 17,400,000		$ 17,400,000		$ 118,200,000