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Stockholders' Equity - Net Transfers (To) From Navient (Details) (USD $) | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2014
Schedule of Transfers To and From Affiliate [Line Items] |  |
Total capital contributions |  | $ 43,500,000 slm_Capitalcontributionstofromaffiliate
Corporate push-down |  | 5,738,000 slm_Corporatepushdown
Net change in income tax accounts |  | 15,659,000 slm_Netchangeinincometaxaccounts
Net change in receivable/payable |  | (47,622,000)slm_Netchangeinreceivablepayablewithaffiliate
Other |  | (31,000)slm_Othertransferstofromaffiliate
Total net transfers from the entity that is now a subsidiary of Navient | 0 slm_NetTransfersToFromAffiliate | 17,244,000 slm_NetTransfersToFromAffiliate
Loan origination activities |  |
Schedule of Transfers To and From Affiliate [Line Items] |  |
Total capital contributions |  | 25,268,000 slm_Capitalcontributionstofromaffiliate / slm_CapitalContributionTypeAxis = slm_LoanoriginationactivitiesMember
Loan sales |  |
Schedule of Transfers To and From Affiliate [Line Items] |  |
Total capital contributions |  | 45,000 slm_Capitalcontributionstofromaffiliate / slm_CapitalContributionTypeAxis = slm_LoansalestoaffiliatesMember
Corporate overhead activities |  |
Schedule of Transfers To and From Affiliate [Line Items] |  |
Total capital contributions |  | 17,755,000 slm_Capitalcontributionstofromaffiliate / slm_CapitalContributionTypeAxis = slm_CorporateoverheadactivitiesMember
Other |  |
Schedule of Transfers To and From Affiliate [Line Items] |  |
Total capital contributions |  | $ 432,000 slm_Capitalcontributionstofromaffiliate / slm_CapitalContributionTypeAxis = slm_OthercapitalcontributionMember

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