<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-08-31</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001013237</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FACTSET RESEARCH SYSTEMS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FDS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001630635</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Miller Scott G.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>601 MERRITT 7</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NORWALK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06851</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Former EVP</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>FactSet Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType></transactionFormType>
            </transactionCoding>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>175.20</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-07-20</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2125</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-07-20</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>FactSet Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2125</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1488</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>175.20</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-07-20</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1488</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-07-20</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>FactSet Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1488</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On April 7, 2017, FactSet Research Systems Inc. (&quot;FactSet&quot; or the &quot;Company&quot;) announced that it had accepted the resignation of Scott G. Miller from his position as Executive Vice President, Global Director of Sales. Mr. Miller's departure from the Company was effective on April 21, 2017. This represents options held by Mr. Miller at the time of termination, which expired 90 days after his departure from the Company and subsequently resulted in a forfeiture.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Column 8 has been intentionally left blank because the transaction was a forfeiture of a derivative security.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>On April 7, 2017, FactSet announced that it had accepted the resignation of Scott G. Miller from his position as Executive Vice President, Global Director of Sales.  Mr Miller's departure from the Company was effective on April 21, 2017.  SEC guidelines require beneficial ownership reporting for former directors for six months after the effective date of their removal as a director of the Company. The detail presented herein represents Mr. Miller's holdings as of October 6, 2017. Accordingly, as of the date of the filing of this Form 5, Mr. Miller is no longer subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Scott G. Miller</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-10-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
