Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 791,678	$ 992,403	$ 1,320,235	$ 1,593,475
Costs and expenses:
Direct costs	554,132	707,363	1,146,887	1,346,553
General and administrative expenses	47,241	67,405	96,410	121,316
Total Chile impairment	445,085	470	448,853	470
Operating (loss) income	(254,780)	217,165	(371,915)	125,136
Interest income	1,016	2,844	3,683	6,397
Interest expense	(33,812)	(41,466)	(69,922)	(96,119)
Loss on debt extinguishment	0	(15,595)	0	(26,217)
(Loss) gain on derivatives	(1,428)	2,632	(626)	7,815
Other (expense) income, net	(406)	7,704	(508)	8,101
Foreign currency exchange (loss) gain, net	(4,903)	8,881	31,041	4,135
Gain on disposal of subsidiaries, net	93	0	2,822	0
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in net (loss) income of affiliates	(294,220)	182,165	(405,425)	29,248
Income tax expense	(7,529)	(74,564)	227,573	(38,716)
Equity in net income of affiliates, net of tax	(4)	219	181	219
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(301,753)	107,820	(177,671)	(9,249)
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax expense of $3,391 and $13,863, respectively	(12,171)	30,280	(15,975)	93,609
Gain on sales of discontinued operations, net of tax	2,296	641,516	(19,666)	889,521
Net (loss) income	(311,628)	779,616	(213,312)	973,881
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	3,805	1,976	5,104	(1,046)
Net (loss) income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	$ (307,823)	$ 781,592	$ (208,208)	$ 972,835
Basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share:
(Loss) income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (1.44)	$ 0.48	$ (0.85)	$ (0.04)
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	(0.03)	3.00	(0.15)	4.37
Basic and diluted (loss) earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ (1.47)	$ 3.48	$ (1.00)	$ 4.33