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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-07-11</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2008-07-14</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000929887</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>APOLLO GROUP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>APOL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001237503</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SPERLING JOHN G</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>4615 EAST ELWOOD STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PHOENIX</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AZ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>85040</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Acting Exec Chrmn of the Board</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-07-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>141250</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>55.1627</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>15717393</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents the weighted average sale price per share.  The actual sale prices ranged from a low of $54.91 to a high of $55.47.  The Reporting Person will provide upon request by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Issuer or any security holder of the Issuer full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 50,000 shares underlying restricted stock units previously awarded to the Reporting Person. The units are subject to both performance-vesting and service-vesting requirements. Should the performance objective be attained, then the restricted stock units will vest in four successive equal annual installments upon the Reporting Person's completion of each year of service with the Issuer over the four year period measured from September 1, 2007, subject to accelerated vesting upon certain changes in control or ownership of the Issuer. The shares of Class A common stock will be issued as the units vest. The reported holdings have not been adjusted downward to reflect certain gifts of Class A common stock made by the Reporting Person during the current fiscal year. Those gifts are eligible for deferred reporting on the Form 5 report to be filed for that fiscal year on or before October 15, 2008.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Joseph L. D'Amico  For: John G. Sperling</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-07-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
