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 contracts with customers		$ 2,678,888	$ 2,352,237
Principal transactions		588,303	404,751	$ 351,378
Interest		523,832	724,882	646,449
Other income		75,345	52,378	25,553
Total revenues		3,817,839	3,514,961	3,194,957
Interest expense		65,778	177,931	170,076
Net revenues	[1]	3,752,061	3,337,030	3,024,881
Non-interest expenses:
Compensation and benefits		2,279,335	1,978,116	1,770,762
Occupancy and equipment rental		274,664	242,893	222,384
Communications and office supplies		164,736	147,428	140,254
Commissions and floor brokerage		55,960	44,011	41,967
Provision for credit losses		33,925	9,977	18,366
Other operating expenses		292,281	315,467	296,786
Total non-interest expenses		3,100,901	2,737,892	2,490,519
Income before income tax expense		651,160	599,138	534,362
Provision for income taxes		147,688	149,152	140,394
Net income		503,472	449,986	393,968
Net income applicable to non-controlling interests			1,590
Net income applicable to Stifel Financial Corp.		503,472	448,396	393,968
Preferred dividends		27,261	17,319	9,375
Net income available to common shareholders		$ 476,211	$ 431,077	$ 384,593
Earnings per common share:
Basic		$ 4.49	$ 3.99	$ 3.57
Diluted		4.16	3.66	3.15
Cash dividends declared per common share		$ 0.45	$ 0.40	$ 0.32
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic		106,174	107,997	107,679
Diluted		114,573	117,878	121,982
Commissions [Member]
Revenues:
Revenue from contracts with customers		$ 760,627	$ 667,494	$ 657,732
Investment Banking [Member]
Revenues:
Revenue from contracts with customers		952,308	817,421	707,670
Asset Management and Service Fees [Member]
Revenues:
Revenue from contracts with customers		$ 917,424	$ 848,035	$ 806,175

[1] No individual client accounted for more than 10 percent of total net revenues for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018.