Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 327,579	$ 303,856	$ 522,280	$ 496,175
Costs and expenses:
Direct costs	213,315	207,799	395,163	428,367
General and administrative expenses	49,361	43,140	91,955	88,209
Loss on impairment of assets	7,219	23,774	63,869	27,542
Operating income	57,684	29,143	(28,707)	(47,943)
Interest income	477	288	1,188	910
Interest expense	(13,541)	(25,705)	(37,059)	(50,995)
Loss on debt extinguishment	(77,927)	0	(77,940)	0
Loss on derivatives	(53,847)	(1,428)	(24,517)	(626)
Other expense, net	(55)	(405)	(21)	(486)
Foreign currency exchange loss, net	(15,519)	(4,735)	12,664	73,981
Gain on disposal of subsidiaries, net	27	0	27	(1,800)
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in net income of affiliates	(102,701)	(2,842)	(154,365)	(26,959)
Income tax expense	(13,184)	(8,713)	(126,045)	221,315
Equity in net loss of affiliates, net of tax	0	(4)	0	181
Loss from continuing operations	(115,885)	(11,559)	(280,410)	194,537
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax benefit of $1,063 and $3,043, respectively	86,661	(300,069)	86,243	(407,849)
Net loss	(29,224)	(311,628)	(194,167)	(213,312)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	224	3,805	239	5,104
Net loss attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	$ (29,000)	$ (307,823)	$ (193,928)	$ (208,208)
Basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share:
Loss from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.60)	$ (0.05)	$ (1.43)	$ 0.93
Loss from continuing operations, diluted (in dollars per share)	(0.60)	(0.05)
Loss from discontinued operations, basic (in dollars per share)	0.45	(1.41)	0.44	(1.92)
Loss from discontinued operations, diluted (in dollars per share)	0.45	(1.41)
Basic loss per share (in dollars per share)	(0.15)	(1.46)	$ (0.99)	$ (0.99)
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.15)	$ (1.46)