Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 528,557	$ 601,072
Costs and expenses:
Direct costs	588,987	639,190
General and administrative expenses	52,937	53,911
Loss on impairment of assets	3,768	0
Operating loss	(117,135)	(92,029)
Interest income	2,667	3,553
Interest expense	(36,110)	(54,653)
Loss on debt extinguishment	0	(10,622)
Gain on derivatives	802	5,183
Other (expense) income, net	(102)	397
Foreign currency exchange gain (loss), net	35,944	(4,746)
Gain on disposal of subsidiaries, net	2,729	0
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in net income of affiliates	(111,205)	(152,917)
Income tax benefit	235,102	35,848
Equity in net income of affiliates, net of tax	185	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	124,082	(117,069)
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax expense of $1,482 and $10,141, respectively	(3,804)	63,329
(Loss) gain on sales of discontinued operations, net of tax	(21,962)	248,005
Net income	98,316	194,265
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	1,299	(3,022)
Net income (loss) attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	$ 99,615	$ 191,243
Basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.59	$ (0.52)
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	(0.12)	1.37
Basic and diluted loss per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.47	$ 0.85