<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-07-01</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001168478</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HEWITT ASSOCIATES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HEW</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001240407</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GIFFORD DALE L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector>
<isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle>Chief Executive Officer</officerTitle>
<otherText>Chairman of the Board</otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<derivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Option to purchase shares of Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>24.10</value></conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-07-01</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>59200</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>0.00</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>2004-07-01</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2013-07-01</value></expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>59200</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>59200</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">The options vest 25% per year beginning one year after date of grant.  The option will be fully exercisable on 7/01/2007.</footnote></footnotes>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Peter Ross, as Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-07-03</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


