Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Paid-in Capital [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Raven Industries, Inc. Equity [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Total shareholders' equity, beginning balance at Jan. 31, 2015	$ 305,237	$ 66,947	$ 53,237	$ (53,362)	$ 244,180	$ (5,849)	$ 305,153	$ 84
Treasury stock, beginning balance, shares at Jan. 31, 2015				28,897
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	4,848				4,776		4,776	72
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income tax	2,348					2,348	2,348
Cash dividends	(19,344)		169		(19,513)		(19,344)
Dividends of less than wholly-owned subsidiary paid to noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Distributions to Noncontrolling Interest	(82)							(82)
Adj to APiC, stock issued, issuance costs related to FY15 business combination	(15)		(15)				(15)
Shares issued on stock options exercised net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(47)	7	(54)				(47)
Share issued on vesting of stock units , net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(458)	52	(510)				(458)
Stock repurchased and retired during period, shares				1,603
Stock repurchased and retired during period, value	(29,338)			$ (29,338)			(29,338)
Share-based compensation	2,311		2,311				2,311
Income tax impact related to share-based compensation	(1,231)		(1,231)				(1,231)
Treasury stock, ending balance, shares at Jan. 31, 2016				30,500
Total shareholders' equity, ending balance at Jan. 31, 2016	264,229	67,006	53,907	$ (82,700)	229,443	(3,501)	264,155	74
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	20,192				20,191		20,191	1
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income tax	(175)					(175)	(175)
Cash dividends	(18,769)		216		(18,985)		(18,769)
Dividends of less than wholly-owned subsidiary paid to noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Distributions to Noncontrolling Interest	(70)							(70)
Director shares issued	0	19	(19)				0
Share issued on vesting of stock units , net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(256)	35	(291)				(256)
Stock repurchased and retired during period, shares				484
Stock repurchased and retired during period, value	(7,702)			$ (7,702)			(7,702)
Share-based compensation	3,071		3,071				3,071
Income tax impact related to share-based compensation	$ (1,089)		(1,089)				(1,089)
Treasury stock, ending balance, shares at Jan. 31, 2017	30,984			30,984
Total shareholders' equity, ending balance at Jan. 31, 2017	$ 259,431	67,060	55,795	$ (90,402)	230,649	(3,676)	259,426	5
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	41,019				41,022		41,022	(3)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income tax	1,103					1,103	1,103
Cash dividends	(18,685)		214		(18,899)		(18,685)
Director shares issued	0	26	(26)				0
Shares issued on stock options exercised net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(290)	21	(311)				(290)
Share issued on vesting of stock units , net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(237)	17	(254)				(237)
Stock repurchased and retired during period, shares				348
Stock repurchased and retired during period, value	(10,000)			$ (10,000)			(10,000)
Share-based compensation	$ 3,725		3,725				3,725
Treasury stock, ending balance, shares at Jan. 31, 2018	31,332			31,332
Total shareholders' equity, ending balance at Jan. 31, 2018	$ 276,066	$ 67,124	$ 59,143	$ (100,402)	$ 252,772	$ (2,573)	$ 276,064	$ 2