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	35,868				35,812		35,812	56
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	(837)					(837)	(837)
Postretirement benefits reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) after tax (expense) benefit	(12)					(12)	(12)
Reclassification due to ASU 2018-02 adoption	0				280	(280)	0
Cash dividends	(9,326)		100		(9,426)		(9,326)
Shares issued on stock options exercised, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(1,251)	63	(1,314)				(1,251)
Shares issued on vesting of stock units, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	$ (679)	42	(721)				(679)
Shares repurchased, Treasury Stock	0
Share-based compensation	$ 2,281		2,281				2,281
Balance at end of period at Jul. 31, 2018	302,110	67,229	59,489	$ (100,402)	279,438	(3,702)	302,052	58
Treasury stock at end of period (in shares) at Jul. 31, 2018				31,332,000
Balance at beginning of period at Apr. 30, 2018	293,086	67,177	59,157	$ (100,402)	270,479	(3,339)	293,072	14
Treasury stock at beginning of period (in shares) at Apr. 30, 2018				31,332,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	13,721				13,677		13,677	44
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	(357)					(357)	(357)
Postretirement benefits reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) after tax (expense) benefit	(6)					(6)	(6)
Cash dividends	(4,668)		50		(4,718)		(4,668)
Shares issued on stock options exercised, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(1,134)	51	(1,185)				(1,134)
Shares issued on vesting of stock units, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	$ (26)	1	(27)				(26)
Shares repurchased, Treasury Stock	0
Share-based compensation	$ 1,494		1,494				1,494
Balance at end of period at Jul. 31, 2018	302,110	67,229	59,489	$ (100,402)	279,438	(3,702)	302,052	58
Treasury stock at end of period (in shares) at Jul. 31, 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	$ 21,976				21,976		21,976	0
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	(303)					(303)	(303)
Postretirement benefits reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) after tax (expense) benefit	(25)					(25)	(25)
Cash dividends	(9,353)		96		(9,449)		(9,353)
Shares issued on stock options exercised, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(721)	29	(750)				(721)
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	163,177			164,000
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	$ (5,781)			$ (5,781)			(5,781)
Share-based compensation	2,548	0	2,548				2,548
Balance at end of period at Jul. 31, 2019	$ 314,978	67,420	59,127	$ (106,183)	298,496	(3,884)	314,976	2
Treasury stock at end of period (in shares) at Jul. 31, 2019	31,496,000			31,496,000
Balance at beginning of period at Apr. 30, 2019	$ 312,683	67,417	57,369	$ (102,683)	294,450	(3,872)	312,681	2
Treasury stock at beginning of period (in shares) at Apr. 30, 2019				31,393,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	8,766				8,766		8,766	0
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	1					1	1
Postretirement benefits reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) after tax (expense) benefit	(13)					(13)	(13)
Reclassification due to ASU 2018-02 adoption						0
Cash dividends	(4,671)		49		(4,720)		(4,671)
Shares issued on stock options exercised, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(54)	3	(57)				(54)
Shares issued on vesting of stock units, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	$ 0	0	0				0
Shares repurchased, Treasury Stock	102,477			103,000
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	$ (3,500)			$ (3,500)			(3,500)
Share-based compensation	1,766	0	1,766				1,766
Balance at end of period at Jul. 31, 2019	$ 314,978	$ 67,420	$ 59,127	$ (106,183)	$ 298,496	$ (3,884)	$ 314,976	$ 2
Treasury stock at end of period (in shares) at Jul. 31, 2019	31,496,000			31,496,000