<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-10-10</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000003327</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ALBERTO CULVER CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ACV  ACVA</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001221582</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BERSCHIED JOHN R JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>31440 SOMERSET CIRCLE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREEN OAKS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60048</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Group V-P, Global R &amp; D</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1130</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>401(K) Plan</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-10</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2043</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>56.971</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2043</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes/><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>/James M. Spira/Attorney-in-fact for John R. Berschied, Jr.</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-14</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

