Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	$1 Par Common Stock [Member]	Paid-in Capital [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Raven Industries, Inc. Equity [Member]	Non-controlling Interest [Member]
Balance at beginning of period at Jan. 31, 2018	$ 276,066	$ 67,124	$ 59,143	$ (100,402)	$ 252,772	$ (2,573)	$ 276,064	$ 2
Treasury stock at beginning of period (in shares) at Jan. 31, 2018				31,332,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	22,147				22,135		22,135	12
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	(480)					(480)	(480)
Postretirement benefits reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) after tax (expense) benefit	(6)					(6)	(6)
Reclassification due to ASU 2018-02 adoption	0				280	(280)	0
Cash dividends	(4,658)		50		(4,708)		(4,658)
Shares issued on stock options exercised, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(117)	12	(129)				(117)
Shares issued on vesting of stock units, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	$ (653)	41	(694)				(653)
Shares repurchased, Treasury Stock	0
Share-based compensation	$ 787		787				787
Balance at end of period at Apr. 30, 2018	293,086	67,177	59,157	$ (100,402)	270,479	(3,339)	293,072	14
Treasury stock at end of period (in shares) at Apr. 30, 2018				31,332,000
Balance at beginning of period at Jan. 31, 2019	$ 308,957	67,289	59,655	$ (100,402)	285,969	(3,556)	308,955	2
Treasury stock at beginning of period (in shares) at Jan. 31, 2019	31,332,000			31,332,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	$ 13,210				13,210		13,210	0
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	(304)					(304)	(304)
Postretirement benefits reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) after tax (expense) benefit	(12)					(12)	(12)
Cash dividends	(4,682)		47		(4,729)		(4,682)
Shares issued on stock options exercised, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(667)	26	(693)				(667)
Shares issued on vesting of stock units, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	$ (2,320)	102	(2,422)				(2,320)
Shares repurchased, Treasury Stock	60,700			61,000
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	$ (2,281)			$ (2,281)			(2,281)
Share-based compensation	782	0	782				782
Balance at end of period at Apr. 30, 2019	$ 312,683	$ 67,417	$ 57,369	$ (102,683)	$ 294,450	$ (3,872)	$ 312,681	$ 2
Treasury stock at end of period (in shares) at Apr. 30, 2019	31,393,000			31,393,000