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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2019-03-05</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2019-03-05</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001056288</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FEDERATED INVESTORS INC /PA/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FII</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001482366</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Germain Peter J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>FEDERATED INVESTORS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1001 LIBERTY AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PITTSBURGH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>15222-3779</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP, Chief Legal Officer &amp; GC</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-03-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1682</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>29.7603</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>109582</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-03-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11809</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>121391</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Box 5 of Original Form 4 filed March 6, 2019 incorrectly stated that the Reporting Person owned 112,946 shares of Federated Investors, Inc. Class B Common Stock (&quot;FII&quot;) following the reported transaction.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This transaction was not included on the Reporting Person's original Form 4 filed March 6, 2019.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>The Power of Attorney dated October 24, 2017 is incorporated herein by reference.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ John D. Martini (Attorney-in-Fact)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-04-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
