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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-23</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000802806</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>RIGHT MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RHT</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000871763</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MANPOWER INC /WI/</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>5301 NORTH IRONWOOD ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MILWAUKEE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>WI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>53217</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2004-01-23</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1906174</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>18.75</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Represents exchange rate multiplied by Manpower's average trading price, as determined in accordance with the Agreement and Plan of Merger between the parties.</footnote><footnote id="F2">All of Right Management Consultants, Inc.'s (&quot;Right&quot;) outstanding common stock was converted or cancelled in a merger of a subsidiary of the reporting person into Right.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Michael J. VanHandel, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Manpower Inc.</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-23</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

