Earnings (Loss) Per Share - Summary of Earnings (Loss) Per Share Basic and Diluted (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Numerator used in basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share for continuing operations:
Loss from continuing operations	$ (28,526)	$ (40,353)	$ (37,775)	$ (36,641)
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(12)	12	(61)	(78)
Loss from continuing operations attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	(28,538)	(40,341)	(37,836)	(36,719)
Accretion of redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	(193)	324	264	1,130
Adjusted for: accretion related to noncontrolling interests and equity redeemable at fair value			0	(559)
Accretion of Series A Preferred Stock	(193)		0	(61,974)
Gain upon conversion of Series A Preferred Stock			0	74,110
Subtotal: accretion of other redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity and Series A Preferred Stock, net			264	12,707
Net loss available to common stockholders for basic earnings (loss) per share	(28,731)	(40,017)	(37,572)	(24,012)
Adjusted for: accretion of Series A Preferred Stock	193		0	61,974
Adjusted for: gain upon conversion of Series A Preferred Stock			0	(74,110)
Net loss from continuing operations available to common stockholders for diluted earnings (loss) per share			(37,572)	(36,148)
Numerator used in basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share for discontinued operations:
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(27,137)	(37,905)	66,472	23,551
Gain (Loss) on sales of discontinued operations, including tax expense	(41,131)	(18,426)	848,390	311,904
Loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	1,580	1,883	583	(237)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations for basic and diluted earnings per share	$ (66,688)	$ (54,448)	$ 915,445	$ 335,218
Denominator used in basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share:
Basic and Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	224,193	224,037	224,498	209,129
Basic and diluted loss per share:
Loss from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.13)	$ (0.18)
Loss from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	(0.30)	(0.24)
Basic and diluted loss per share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.43)	$ (0.42)
Basic earnings (loss) per share:
Loss from continuing operations (in dollars per share)			$ (0.17)	$ (0.11)
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)			4.08	1.60
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)			3.91	1.49
Diluted earnings (loss) per share:
Loss from continuing operations (in dollars per share)			(0.17)	(0.17)
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)			4.08	1.60
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)			$ 3.91	$ 1.43