Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($)	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]	redeemable noncontrolling interest [Member]
Balance at beginning of period at Jan. 31, 2019	$ 308,957,000	$ 67,289,000	$ 59,655,000	$ (100,402,000)	$ 285,969,000	$ (3,556,000)	$ 308,955,000	$ 2,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Nonredeemable Noncontrolling Interest	31,909,000				31,910,000		31,910,000	(1,000)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	(343,000)					(343,000)	(343,000)
Postretirement benefits reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) after tax (expense) benefit	(37,000)					(37,000)	(37,000)
Cash dividends	(14,001,000)		146,000		(14,147,000)		(14,001,000)
Shares issued on stock options exercised, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(706,000)	29,000	(735,000)				(706,000)
Shares issued on vesting of stock units, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(2,358,000)	106,000	(2,464,000)				(2,358,000)
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	10,781,000			10,781,000			10,781,000
Share-based compensation	3,539,000		3,539,000				3,539,000
Balance at end of period at Oct. 31, 2019	$ 316,179,000	67,424,000	60,141,000	(111,183,000)	303,732,000	(3,936,000)	316,178,000	1,000
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared	$ 0.39
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Defined Benefit Plan, after Reclassification Adjustment, Tax	$ 11,000
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Beginning Balance at Jan. 31, 2019									$ 0
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income									0
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Ending Balance at Oct. 31, 2019									0
Balance at beginning of period at Jul. 31, 2019	314,978,000	67,420,000	59,127,000	(106,183,000)	298,496,000	(3,884,000)	314,976,000	2,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Nonredeemable Noncontrolling Interest	9,933,000				9,934,000		9,934,000	(1,000)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	(40,000)					(40,000)	(40,000)
Postretirement benefits reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) after tax (expense) benefit	(12,000)					(12,000)	(12,000)
Cash dividends	(4,648,000)		50,000		(4,698,000)		(4,648,000)
Shares issued on stock options exercised, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	15,000	0	15,000				15,000
Shares issued on vesting of stock units, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(38,000)	4,000	(42,000)				(38,000)
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	5,000,000			5,000,000			5,000,000
Share-based compensation	991,000		991,000				991,000
Balance at end of period at Oct. 31, 2019	$ 316,179,000	67,424,000	60,141,000	(111,183,000)	303,732,000	(3,936,000)	$ 316,178,000	$ 1,000
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared	$ 0.13
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Defined Benefit Plan, after Reclassification Adjustment, Tax	$ 4,000
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Beginning Balance at Jul. 31, 2019									0
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income									0
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Ending Balance at Oct. 31, 2019									0
Balance at beginning of period at Jan. 31, 2020	314,646,000	67,436,000	61,508,000	(111,183,000)	302,300,000	(5,415,000)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Nonredeemable Noncontrolling Interest	18,594,000				18,594,000
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	(563,000)					(563,000)
Postretirement benefits reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) after tax (expense) benefit	(7,000)					(7,000)
Reclassification and Redeption of Noncontrolling Interest (see Note 6)	215,000		215,000
Cash dividends	(9,318,000)		183,000		(9,501,000)
Shares issued on stock options exercised, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(184,000)	15,000	(199,000)
Shares issued on vesting of stock units, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(666,000)	56,000	(722,000)
Shares Granted, Value, Share-based Payment Arrangement, after Forfeiture	0	9,000	(9,000)
Share-based compensation	4,978,000		4,978,000
Balance at end of period at Oct. 31, 2020	$ 327,695,000	67,516,000	65,954,000	(111,183,000)	311,393,000	(5,985,000)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared	$ 0.26
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Defined Benefit Plan, after Reclassification Adjustment, Tax	$ 3,000
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Beginning Balance at Jan. 31, 2020									21,302,000
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income									(98,000)
Recalassification and Redemption of Noncontrolling Interest (see Note 6)									(21,204,000)
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Ending Balance at Oct. 31, 2020									0
Balance at beginning of period at Jul. 31, 2020	317,551,000	67,510,000	64,690,000	(111,183,000)	302,665,000	(6,131,000)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Nonredeemable Noncontrolling Interest	8,728,000				8,728,000
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	148,000					148,000
Postretirement benefits reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) after tax (expense) benefit	(2,000)					(2,000)
Shares issued on stock options exercised, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(71,000)	4,000	(75,000)
Shares issued on vesting of stock units, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(28,000)	2,000	(30,000)
Share-based compensation	1,369,000		1,369,000
Balance at end of period at Oct. 31, 2020	327,695,000	$ 67,516,000	$ 65,954,000	$ (111,183,000)	$ 311,393,000	$ (5,985,000)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Defined Benefit Plan, after Reclassification Adjustment, Tax	$ 1,000
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Beginning Balance at Jul. 31, 2020									0
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income									0
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Ending Balance at Oct. 31, 2020									$ 0