Amount due to the Department of Education based on an underpayment on a return to Title IV calculation.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	stra_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Average of median annual earning percentage.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	stra_AverageOfMedianAnnualEarningPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	stra_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Average of median discretionary percentage.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	stra_AverageOfMedianDiscretionaryPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	stra_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of conducted compliance reviews

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	stra_NumberOfConductedComplianceReviews
Namespace Prefix:	stra_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of current associate's degree programs considered in the "Zone".

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	stra_NumberOfCurrentAssociateDegreeProgramsInZone
Namespace Prefix:	stra_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of newly required debt-to-earnings measures.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	stra_NumberOfDebtToEarningsMeasures
Namespace Prefix:	stra_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of years a program would be Title IV ineligible after failing both metrics for two out of three consecutive years or fails to pass at least one metric for four consecutive years.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	stra_NumberOfIneligibleYears
Namespace Prefix:	stra_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of on-site reviews conducted

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	stra_NumberOfOnSiteReviews
Namespace Prefix:	stra_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of states in which compliance reviews were conducted

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	stra_NumberOfStatesInWhichComplianceReviewsWereConducted
Namespace Prefix:	stra_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Regulation line items.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	stra_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=stra_StrayerUniversityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Regulation (Details)				12 Months Ended
Regulation (Details)	Sep. 26, 2014 item	Sep. 11, 2014 item	Aug. 20, 2014 item	Dec. 31, 2016 state item	Apr. 29, 2015 USD ($)
Regulation [Line Items]
Number of ineligible years				3 years
Minimum [Member]
Regulation [Line Items]
Average of median annual earning percentage.				8.00%
Average of median discretionary percentage				20.00%
Maximum [Member]
Regulation [Line Items]
Average of median annual earning percentage.				12.00%
Average of median discretionary percentage				30.00%
Strayer University
Regulation [Line Items]
Number of debt-to-earnings measures				2
Number of current associate degree programs n the Zone				2
Number of conducted compliance reviews				4
Number of on-site reviews conducted	2	1	1
Number of states in which compliance reviews were conducted \| state				3
Strayer University \| Maximum [Member]
Regulation [Line Items]
Amount due to department of education \| $					$ 500