Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Jan. 31, 2019		Jan. 31, 2018		Jan. 31, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	[2]	$ 406,668	[1]	$ 377,317	[1]	$ 277,395
Cost of sales		274,119		255,752		199,205
Gross profit		132,549		121,565		78,190
Research and development expenses		26,174		16,936		16,312
Selling, general and administrative expenses		51,242		45,200		33,378
Long-lived asset impairment loss		0		259		87
Operating income		55,133	[3]	59,170	[3]	28,413	[4]
Other income (expense), net		6,437		(184)		(560)
Income before income taxes		61,570		58,986		27,853
Income tax expense		9,697		17,967		7,661
Net income		51,873		41,019		20,192
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest		79		(3)		1
Net income attributable to Raven Industries, Inc.		$ 51,794	[5]	$ 41,022		$ 20,191
Net income per common share:
─ Basic (in usd per share)		$ 1.44	[6]	$ 1.14	[6]	$ 0.56
─ Diluted (in usd per share)		$ 1.42	[6]	$ 1.13	[6]	$ 0.56
Comprehensive income:
Net income		$ 51,873		$ 41,019		$ 20,192
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Foreign currency translation		(1,045)		1,234		50
Postretirement benefits, net of income tax (expense) benefit of ($99), $44, and $129, respectively		342		(131)		(225)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax		(703)		1,103		(175)
Comprehensive income		51,170		42,122		20,017
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest		79		(3)		1
Comprehensive income attributable to Raven Industries, Inc.		$ 51,091		$ 42,125		$ 20,016

[1] In September of fiscal year 2018, the Company acquired CLI. For the first seven months of fiscal 2019 CLI contributed a total of $21,568 in sales and for the first seven months of fiscal 2018 the division generated $4,109 in sales to CLI as a customer. Additionally, sales of hurricane recovery film in fiscal years 2019 and 2018 were $14,494 and $24,225, respectively

[2] Aerostar divested its client private business in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. Net sales from the client private business were $283, $5,592, and $5,886 in fiscal years 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Operating profits for the client private business were not material for these periods.

[3] Fiscal 2019 administrative expenses included a $4,503 expense related to the previously announced gift to SDSU and approximately $4,000 of expenses related to Project Atlas. Project Atlas related expenses in fiscal 2018 were approximately $900.

[4] Fiscal year 2017 included inventory write-downs of $2,278 for Aerostar as a result of discontinuing sales activities for a specific radar product line within its business

[5] The TCJA, effective January 1, 2018, had a favorable impact to the Company's effective tax rate. Excluding discrete items, the Company's effective tax rate decreased approximately 10 percentages points resulting in tax savings of $6,218 in fiscal year 2019.

[6] Net income per share is computed discretely by quarter and may not add to the full year.