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, 2021	Mar. 31, 2020
Numerator used in basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share for continuing operations:
Loss from continuing operations	$ (164,525)	$ 206,096
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	24	12
Loss from continuing operations attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	(164,501)	206,108
Accretion of redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	(20)	(44)
Net loss from continuing operations for basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share	(164,521)	206,064
Numerator used in basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share for discontinued operations:
Loss on sales of discontinued operations, net of tax	(418)	(107,780)
(Income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(9)	1,287
Net loss from discontinued operations for basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share	$ (427)	$ (106,493)
Basic weighted average share outstanding	200,224	209,801
Denominator used in basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share:
Basic and diluted weighted average share outstanding	200,224	210,226
Basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share:
(Loss) income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.82)	$ 0.98
Income (Loss) from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0	(0.51)
Basic and diluted (loss) earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.82)	$ 0.47
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Basic weighted average share outstanding	200,224	209,801
Basic and diluted weighted average share outstanding	200,224	210,226
(Loss) income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.82)	$ 0.98
Income (Loss) from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0	(0.51)
Basic and diluted (loss) earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.82)	$ 0.47
Dilutive effect of stock options
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Dilutive effect of shares	0	83
Dilutive effect of restricted stock units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Dilutive effect of shares	0	342

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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

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The amount of net income or loss for the period per each share in instances when basic and diluted earnings per share are the same amount and reported as a single line item on the face of the financial statements. Basic earnings per share is the amount of net income or loss for the period per each share of common stock or unit outstanding during the reporting period. Diluted earnings per share includes the amount of net income or loss for the period available to each share of common stock or common unit outstanding during the reporting period and to each share or unit that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of common shares or units for all dilutive potential common shares or units outstanding during the reporting period.

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