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, 2016	$ 264,229	$ 67,006	$ 53,907	$ (82,700)	$ 229,443	$ (3,501)	$ 264,155	$ 74
Treasury stock, beginning balance, shares at Jan. 31, 2016				30,500
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
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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	51,873				51,794		51,794	79
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income tax	(703)					(703)	(703)
Reclassification due to ASU 2018-02 adoption	0				280	(280)	0
Cash dividends	(18,674)		203		(18,877)		(18,674)
Dividends of less than wholly-owned subsidiary paid to noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Distributions to Noncontrolling Interest	(79)							(79)
Shares issued on stock options exercised net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(2,637)	113	(2,750)				(2,637)
Share issued on vesting of stock units , net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(840)	52	(892)				(840)
Share-based compensation	$ 3,951		3,951				3,951
Treasury stock, ending balance, shares at Jan. 31, 2019	31,332			31,332
Total shareholders' equity, ending balance at Jan. 31, 2019	$ 308,957	$ 67,289	$ 59,655	$ (100,402)	$ 285,969	$ (3,556)	$ 308,955	$ 2