Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 209,563	$ 194,701
Costs and expenses:
Direct costs	182,880	181,848
General and administrative expenses	17,505	42,594
Loss on impairment of assets	144	56,650
Operating income (loss)	9,034	(86,391)
Interest income	1,968	711
Interest expense	(3,731)	(23,518)
Loss on debt extinguishment	0	(13)
Gain on derivatives	0	29,330
Other (expense) income, net	(1,226)	34
Foreign currency exchange gain, net	(3,601)	28,183
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in net income of affiliates	2,444	(51,664)
Income tax expense	(47,967)	(112,861)
Equity in net income of affiliates, net of tax	108	0
Loss from continuing operations	(45,415)	(164,525)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax expense of $0 and $9,665, respectively	735	(418)
Net loss	(44,680)	(164,943)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	469	15
Net income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	$ (44,211)	$ (164,928)
Basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share:
Loss from continuing operations, basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.25)	$ (0.82)
Loss from continuing operations, diluted (in dollars per share)	(0.25)	(0.82)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, basic (in dollars per share)	0	0
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, diluted (in dollars per share)	0	0
Basic loss per share (in dollars per share)	(0.25)	(0.82)
Diluted loss per share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.25)	$ (0.82)