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Revenue Recognition, Contracts with Customers, Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2019	Jan. 31, 2019	Oct. 31, 2018	Jul. 31, 2018	Apr. 30, 2018	Jan. 31, 2018	Oct. 31, 2017	Jul. 31, 2017	Apr. 30, 2019	Apr. 30, 2018		Apr. 30, 2017
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 491,200	$ 449,400	$ 448,600	$ 410,900	$ 477,300	$ 455,700	$ 451,700	$ 411,400	$ 1,800,069	$ 1,796,103		$ 1,718,530
Journals Subscriptions [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									661,055	677,685		639,720
Open Access [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									54,671	41,997		30,633
Licensing, Reprints, Backfiles and Other [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									185,619	181,806		164,070
Publishing Technology Services (Atypon) [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									35,968	32,907		19,066
STM and Professional Publishing [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									265,719	287,315		291,255
Education Publishing [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									157,579	187,178		196,343
Courseware (WileyPLUS) [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									63,485	59,475		62,348
Test Preparation and Certification [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									40,606	35,534		35,609
Licensing, Distribution, Advertising and Other [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									46,803	48,146		47,894
Education Services [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									157,549	119,131		111,638
Professional Assessment [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									65,889	61,094		59,868
Corporate Learning [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									65,126	63,835		60,086
Operating Segments [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									1,800,069	1,796,103	[1]	1,718,530	[1]
Operating Segments [Member] | Research [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									937,313	934,395	[1]	853,489	[1]
Operating Segments [Member] | Research [Member] | Journals Subscriptions [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									661,055	677,685		639,720
Operating Segments [Member] | Research [Member] | Open Access [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									54,671	41,997		30,633
Operating Segments [Member] | Research [Member] | Licensing, Reprints, Backfiles and Other [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									185,619	181,806		164,070
Operating Segments [Member] | Research [Member] | Publishing Technology Services (Atypon) [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									35,968	32,907		19,066
Operating Segments [Member] | Research [Member] | STM and Professional Publishing [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Research [Member] | Education Publishing [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Research [Member] | Courseware (WileyPLUS) [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Research [Member] | Test Preparation and Certification [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Research [Member] | Licensing, Distribution, Advertising and Other [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Research [Member] | Education Services [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Research [Member] | Professional Assessment [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Research [Member] | Corporate Learning [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Publishing [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									574,192	617,648	[1]	633,449	[1]
Operating Segments [Member] | Publishing [Member] | Journals Subscriptions [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Publishing [Member] | Open Access [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Publishing [Member] | Licensing, Reprints, Backfiles and Other [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Publishing [Member] | Publishing Technology Services (Atypon) [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Publishing [Member] | STM and Professional Publishing [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									265,719	287,315		291,255
Operating Segments [Member] | Publishing [Member] | Education Publishing [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									157,579	187,178		196,343
Operating Segments [Member] | Publishing [Member] | Courseware (WileyPLUS) [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									63,485	59,475		62,348
Operating Segments [Member] | Publishing [Member] | Test Preparation and Certification [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									40,606	35,534		35,609
Operating Segments [Member] | Publishing [Member] | Licensing, Distribution, Advertising and Other [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									46,803	48,146		47,894
Operating Segments [Member] | Publishing [Member] | Education Services [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Publishing [Member] | Professional Assessment [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Publishing [Member] | Corporate Learning [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Solutions [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									288,564	244,060	[1]	231,592	[1]
Operating Segments [Member] | Solutions [Member] | Journals Subscriptions [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Solutions [Member] | Open Access [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Solutions [Member] | Licensing, Reprints, Backfiles and Other [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Solutions [Member] | Publishing Technology Services (Atypon) [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Solutions [Member] | STM and Professional Publishing [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Solutions [Member] | Education Publishing [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Solutions [Member] | Courseware (WileyPLUS) [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Solutions [Member] | Test Preparation and Certification [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Solutions [Member] | Licensing, Distribution, Advertising and Other [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									0	0		0
Operating Segments [Member] | Solutions [Member] | Education Services [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									157,549	119,131		111,638
Operating Segments [Member] | Solutions [Member] | Professional Assessment [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									65,889	61,094		59,868
Operating Segments [Member] | Solutions [Member] | Corporate Learning [Member]
Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type [Abstract]
Revenue									$ 65,126	$ 63,835		$ 60,086
[1] Due to the retrospective adoption of ASU 2017-07, total net benefits (costs) of $8.1 million and $(5.3) million related to the non-service components of defined benefit and other post-employment benefit plans were reclassified from Operating and Administrative Expenses to Interest Income and Other for the years ended April 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Refer to Note 2, "Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Recently Issued, and Recently Adopted Accounting Standards," for more information. The impact of the reclassification on Contribution to Profit by segment for the year ended April 30, 2018 was $4.2 million in Research, $2.3 million in Publishing, and $1.6 million in Corporate expenses. The impact of the reclassification on Contribution to Profit by segment for the year ended April 30, 2017 was $1.6 million in Research, $1.2 million in Publishing, and $(8.1) million in Corporate expenses.

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Amount, excluding tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value added and excise.

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