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Business and Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Segment
Week
State
Attendant
Entity
Location
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Jan. 31, 2010
Oct. 31, 2014
Business And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Number of students in degree programs 53,000esi_NumberOfStudentsInDegreePrograms        
Number of states where online programs are offered 50esi_NumberOfStatesForOnlinePrograms        
Number of locations 144esi_NumberOfLocationsInOperations        
Number of states 39us-gaap_NumberOfStatesInWhichEntityOperates        
Number of business segment 1us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments        
Restricted cash $ 6,040us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue $ 5,636us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue      
Restricted cash in the variable interest entity 4,073esi_RestrictedCashOfVariableInterestEntity 2,593esi_RestrictedCashOfVariableInterestEntity      
Number of variable interest entities 2esi_NumberOfVariableInterestEntities        
Escrow account balance, collateral deposits 8,628esi_CollateralDepositRiskShare 8,626esi_CollateralDepositRiskShare      
Number of weeks of tuition revenue reported per quarter 12esi_NumberOfPeriodsOfTuitionRevenueReportedPerQuarter        
Number of weeks of school annually 48esi_NumberOfPeriodsOfSchoolAnnually        
Advertising expense 177,564us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense 177,791us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense 174,009us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense    
Treasury stock, shares 13,619,010us-gaap_TreasuryStockShares 13,698,716us-gaap_TreasuryStockShares      
PEAKS Senior Debt [Member]          
Business And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Senior debt in the aggregate principal amount 300,000esi_SeniorDebtIssuedByVariableInterestEntity
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= esi_PeaksSeniorDebtMember		     300,000esi_SeniorDebtIssuedByVariableInterestEntity
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= esi_PeaksSeniorDebtMember		  
PEAKS Trust Student Loans [Member]          
Business And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Number of separate pools of loans 24esi_NumberOfPoolOfLoans
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= esi_PeaksTrustStudentLoansMember		        
CUSO Student Loans [Member]          
Business And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Number of separate pools of loans 48esi_NumberOfPoolOfLoans
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= esi_CusoStudentLoansMember		        
Line of Credit [Member]          
Business And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Percentage of cash collateral amount equal to face amount of ED Letter of Credit 109.00%esi_RequiredCashCollateralForLettersOfCredit1
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember		        
Percentage of cash collateral amount equal to face amount 103.00%esi_RequiredCashCollateralForLettersOfCredit2
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember		        
Cash collateral 89,304esi_CashCollateralForLettersOfCredit
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember		        
Letter of Credit [Member]          
Business And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Cash collateral         86,882esi_CashCollateralForLettersOfCredit
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_LetterOfCreditMember
Restricted cash under Title IV Program [Member]          
Business And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Restricted cash $ 1,967us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsCashAndCashEquivalentsAxis
= us-gaap_CashMember		 $ 2,433us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsCashAndCashEquivalentsAxis
= us-gaap_CashMember