Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Jan. 01, 2018
Revenues	$ 913,710	$ 787,102	$ 1,017,196	$ 632,216	$ 951,189	$ 818,601	$ 1,017,108	$ 598,978	$ 3,350,224	$ 3,385,876	$ 3,301,864
Operating Costs and Expenses	773,903	761,526	798,978	724,835	811,073	793,741	821,061	718,008
Operating income	139,807	25,576	218,218	(92,619)	140,116	24,860	196,047	(119,030)	290,982	241,993	290,677
(Loss) income from continuing operations	30,819	(43,792)	173,880	(165,637)	171,631	(67,180)	83,154	(166,767)	(4,730)	20,838	332,740
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	56,621	(34,466)	38,072	18,853	28,879	(36,309)	33,943	46,413	79,080	72,926	33,446
(Loss) gain on sales of discontinued operations, net of tax	(15,324)	(18,426)	12,003	318,327					296,580	0	0
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(548)	1,895	456	(2,666)	(4,664)	5,531	(712)	(2,454)	(863)	(2,299)	5,661
Net income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	71,568	(94,789)	224,411	168,877	195,846	(97,958)	116,385	(122,808)	370,067	91,465	371,847
Accretion of Series A convertible redeemable preferred stock and other redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	(1,422)	324	(4,324)	(57,403)	(106,347)	(84,059)	(69,211)	(38,875)	(62,825)	(298,497)	(1,537)
Gain upon conversion of Series A convertible redeemable preferred stock	0	0	74,110	0					74,110	0	0
Net income (loss) available to common stockholders	$ 70,146	$ (94,465)	$ 294,197	$ 111,474	$ 89,499	$ (182,017)	$ 47,174	$ (161,683)	$ 381,352	$ (207,032)	$ 370,310
Basic earnings (loss) per share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.13	$ (0.18)	$ 1.14	$ (1.20)	$ 0.34	$ (0.82)	$ 0.09	$ (1.34)	$ 0.03	$ (1.60)	$ 2.50
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.18	(0.24)	0.23	1.79	0.14	(0.20)	0.19	0.29	1.76	0.40	0.28
Basic earnings (loss) per share (in dollars per share)	0.31	(0.42)	1.37	0.59	0.48	(1.02)	0.28	(1.05)	1.79	(1.20)	2.78
Diluted earnings (loss) per share:
(Loss) income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	0.13	(0.18)	0.78	(1.20)	0.34	(0.82)	0.09	(1.34)	(0.03)	(1.60)	2.48
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.18	(0.24)	0.22	1.79	0.14	(0.20)	0.19	0.29	1.76	0.40	0.28
Diluted earnings (loss) per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.31	$ (0.42)	$ 1.00	$ 0.59	$ 0.48	$ (1.02)	$ 0.28	$ (1.05)	$ 1.73	$ (1.20)	$ 2.76
Accumulated deficit	$ (530,919)				$ (946,236)				$ (530,919)	$ (946,236)
Immaterial Out of Period Adjustment
Diluted earnings (loss) per share:
Accumulated deficit	$ 41,000								$ 41,000
Accounting Standards Update 2016-16
Diluted earnings (loss) per share:
Accumulated deficit												$ 44,000