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
Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Numerator used in basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share for continuing operations:
Income (loss) from continuing operations	$ 124,082	$ (117,069)
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	8	(42)
Loss from continuing operations attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	124,090	(117,111)
Accretion of redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	(44)	263
Net income (loss) from continuing operations available to common stockholders for basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share	124,046	(116,848)
Numerator used in basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share for discontinued operations:
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	(3,804)	63,329
(Loss) gain on sales of discontinued operations, net of tax	(21,962)	248,005
Loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	1,291	(2,980)
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations for basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share	$ (24,475)	$ 308,354
Denominator used in basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share:
Basic weighted average share outstanding	209,801	224,655
Basic and Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	210,226	224,655
Basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.59	$ (0.52)
Loss 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
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Basic weighted average share outstanding	209,801	224,655
Basic and Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	210,226	224,655
Stock options, net of estimated forfeitures
Denominator used in basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share:
Dilutive effect of shares	83	0
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Dilutive effect of shares	83	0
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Denominator used in basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share:
Dilutive effect of shares	342	0
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Dilutive effect of shares	342	0

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