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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-25</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001066134</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CORINTHIAN COLLEGES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>COCO</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001237389</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WILSON LOYAL W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>6 HUTTON CENTRE DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 400</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SANTA ANA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92707</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>54.32</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-25</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>10000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-08-25</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-08-25</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes/><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Stan A. Mortensen, as Attorney-in-Fact for Loyal Wilson</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-27</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

