Loans Held for Investment - Student Loan Portfolio by Program (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2026	Dec. 31, 2025
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Allowance for credit losses	$ (1,354,014)	$ (1,430,318)
Private Education Loans, net	19,531,493	20,332,124
Private Education Loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total Private Education Loans, gross	20,791,497	21,660,434
Deferred origination costs and unamortized premium/(discount)	94,010	102,008
Allowance for credit losses	(1,354,014)	(1,430,318)
Private Education Loans, net	19,531,493	20,332,124
Private Education Loans \| Fixed-rate
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total Private Education Loans, gross	16,205,940	16,952,620
Private Education Loans \| Variable-rate
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total Private Education Loans, gross	$ 4,585,557	$ 4,707,814

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481962/310-10-50-3

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(3)(c)(3))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480566/210-10-S99-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 40
-Paragraph 7
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481628/310-20-40-7

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481990/310-10-45-2

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesAndLoansReceivableLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount excluding accrued interest, of allowance for credit loss on financing receivable. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477657/942-210-S45-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478478/942-210-S50-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(7)(2))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478546/942-210-S99-1

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479344/326-20-45-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossExcludingAccruedInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amortized cost excluding accrued interest, after allowance for credit loss, of financing receivable. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477657/942-210-S45-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478478/942-210-S50-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(7))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478546/942-210-S99-1

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479344/326-20-45-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableExcludingAccruedInterestAfterAllowanceForCreditLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amortized cost excluding accrued interest, before allowance for credit loss, of financing receivable. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479344/326-20-45-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3B
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-3B

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableExcludingAccruedInterestBeforeAllowanceForCreditLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of unamortized loan commitment, origination, and other costs (fees) and purchase premium (discount) on financing receivable recognized as adjustment to yield. Excludes financing receivable covered under loss sharing agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481598/310-20-45-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477657/942-210-S45-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478478/942-210-S50-1

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(7)(3))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478546/942-210-S99-1

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481962/310-10-50-4

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/recommendedDisclosureRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-SubTopic 20
-Topic 310
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481569/310-20-50-3

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableUnamortizedLoanCommitmentOriginationFeeAndPremiumDiscount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=slm_PrivateEducationLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TradingActivityByTypeAxis=us-gaap_FixedIncomeInterestRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TradingActivityByTypeAxis=us-gaap_VariableIncomeInterestRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: