<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000899171-03-000047
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>2
<PERIOD>20030521
<FILING-DATE>20030523
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>COWELL CASEY
<CIK>0001158157
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-21796
<FILM-NUMBER>03716951
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>3000 RESEARCH DRIVE
<CITY>RICHARDSON
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>75802
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CDW COMPUTER CENTERS INC
<CIK>0000899171
<ASSIGNED-SIC>5961
<IRS-NUMBER>363310735
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>IL
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>200 N MILWAUKEE AVE
<CITY>VERNON HILLS
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60061
<PHONE>8474656000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>200 N MILWAUKEE AVE
<CITY>VERNON HILLS
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60061
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-21</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000899171</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CDW COMPUTER CENTERS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CDWC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001158157</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>COWELL CASEY</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>1998-08-08</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>130166</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>1998-08-08</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>7574</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>MKW Partners, L.P.</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>39.5</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>10000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-05-21</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-05-21</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>39.5</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1425</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-05-21</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-05-21</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1425</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>11425</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.  This report shall not be deemed an admission that the reporting person is the beneficial owner of such securities, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Robert J. Welyki, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-21</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24
<SEQUENCE>3
<FILENAME>attach_3.txt
<TEXT>
POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints
each of Barbara A. Klein, Christine A. Leahy and Robert J. Welyki, signing
singly, the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

(1)	execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's
capacity as an officer and/or director of CDW Computer Centers, Inc. (the
"Company"), all reports to be flied by the undersigned pursuant to Section 16(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules promulgated thereunder
(including Forms 3,4, and 5 and any successor forms) (the "Section 16 Reports");

(2)	do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned
that may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Section 16
Report, complete and execute any amendment or amendments thereto, and timely
file such report with the United States Sccurities and Exchange Commission and
any stock exchange or similar authority; and

(3)	take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the
foregoing that, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to,
in the best interest of; or legally required by, the undersigned, it being
understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of
the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and
shall contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in
such attorney-in-fact's discretion.

The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and
authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite,
necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers
herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or
could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation,
hereby ratifying and confirming a11 that such attorney-in-fact, or such
attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue of this power of attorney and the rights and powers herein
granted. The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact,
in serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming,
nor is the Company assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply
with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Section 16 Reports with respect to
the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the
Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered
to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be
executed as of this 13th day of September, 2002.

Signature:  /s/	Casey Cowell
Name:		Casey Cowell

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
