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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-11-10</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000721237</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NOBEL LEARNING COMMUNITIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NLCI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001099662</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PINOLA RICHARD J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>BANKRATE, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>11760 US HIGHWAY 1 SUITE 200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NORTH PALM BEACH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33408</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-11-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4373</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>49051</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">(1) These shares will vest on the earlier of (i) the 1 year anniversary of the date of grant ant (ii) the day immediately prior to the date of the next annual meeting of the Company's stockholders, provided, however, that no vesting will occur and the shares will be forfeited if the Reporting Person fails to attend at least 75% of the aggregate number of meetings of the Board of Directors of the Company during the 1 year period following the date of grant.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Sarah Slate Tomczak</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-11-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
