Commitments and Contingencies - Aggregate Amount of Guarantee Payments, Discharge Payments and Payments on Behalf of Borrowers (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Schedule of Claims and Contingencies [Line Items]
Payments on Behalf of Borrowers	$ 1,832esi_PaymentsOnBehalfOfBorrowers	$ 11,499esi_PaymentsOnBehalfOfBorrowers
Total	170,226esi_GuaranteeAndOtherPaymentsNet	16,512esi_GuaranteeAndOtherPaymentsNet
PEAKS Program [Member]
Schedule of Claims and Contingencies [Line Items]
PEAKS Guarantee	159,255	2,413
Payments on Behalf of Borrowers	1,832	11,499
CUSO RSA [Member]
Schedule of Claims and Contingencies [Line Items]
Regular Payments	6,562	1,791
Discharge Payments	2,577	912
Recoveries from Charged-Off Loans	$ 0	$ (103)

The amount of the guarantee and other payments made by the entity related to the private education loan programs.

No definition available.

Name:	esi_GuaranteeAndOtherPaymentsNet
Namespace Prefix:	esi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Payments made to third parties to discharge outstanding balances under guarantee obligations.

No definition available.

Name:	esi_GuaranteeObligationsDischargePayments
Namespace Prefix:	esi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Regular Payments made to third parties under guarantee obligations.

No definition available.

Name:	esi_GuaranteeObligationsRegularPayments
Namespace Prefix:	esi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Payments made under the Guarantee related to the PEAKS Program.

No definition available.

Name:	esi_GuaranteePaymentsRelatedToPEAKSProgram
Namespace Prefix:	esi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Payments made on behalf of borrowers related to the PEAKS Program.

No definition available.

Name:	esi_PaymentsOnBehalfOfBorrowers
Namespace Prefix:	esi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

The amount received from recoveries of previously charged-off loans.

No definition available.

Name:	esi_RecoveriesFromChargedOffLoans
Namespace Prefix:	esi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Name:	esi_ScheduleOfClaimsAndContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	esi_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis=esi_CusoRiskShareAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis=esi_PeaksProgramMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: