CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Income Statement
Net sales		$ 2,173,334	$ 2,147,036	$ 1,931,217
Cost of sales (1)	[1]	967,870	917,472	802,474
Gross profit		1,205,464	1,229,564	1,128,743
Operating expenses:
Research and development (1)	[1]	372,596	349,543	305,043
Selling, general and administrative (1)	[1]	301,670	274,815	267,278
Amortization of acquired intangible assets		174,896	176,746	94,534
Special charges, net		3,957	2,840	3,024
Operating expenses		853,119	803,944	669,879
Operating income		352,345	425,620	458,864
Losses on equity method investments		(345)	(317)	(177)
Other income (expense):
Interest income		24,447	19,527	16,485
Interest expense		(104,018)	(62,034)	(48,716)
Loss on retirement of convertible debentures		0	(50,631)	0
Other income, net		8,864	13,742	5,898
Income before income taxes		281,293	345,907	432,354
Income tax (benefit) provision		(42,632)	(19,418)	37,073
Net income		323,925	365,325	395,281
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		207	3,684	0
Net income attributable to Microchip Technology		$ 324,132	$ 369,009	$ 395,281
Basic net income per common share attributable to Microchip Technology stockholders		$ 1.59	$ 1.84	$ 1.99
Diluted net income per common share attributable to Microchip Technology stockholders		1.49	1.65	1.82
Dividends declared per common share		$ 1.433	$ 1.425	$ 1.417
Basic common shares outstanding		203,384	200,937	198,291
Diluted common shares outstanding		217,388	223,561	217,630

[1] Includes share-based compensation expense as follows:Cost of sales 8,252 9,010 7,340Research and development 32,022 28,164 24,554Selling, general and administrative 31,146 21,422 21,893