<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000899171-03-000061
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030529
<FILING-DATE>20030530
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>KRASNY MICHARLE P
<CIK>0000942499
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-21796
<FILM-NUMBER>03724617
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>812 SKOKIE BLVD
<CITY>NORTHBROOK
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60062
</MAIL-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>2003-05-29</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000899171</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CDW COMPUTER CENTERS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CDWC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000942499</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KRASNY MICHARLE P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>79853</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>.0042</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>22410496</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>38305</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Son</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The reporting person established the MPK Stock Option Plan out of his personal holdings to which he granted options to acquire a total of 16,573,500 shares to certain key employees of CDW Computer Centers, Inc.  On May 29, 2003, one of these employees exercised options to acquire a total of 79,853 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $.004175 per share under the MPK Stock Option Plan.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Robert J. Welyki, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-29</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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