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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-08-15</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000809933</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ECOLOGY &amp; ENVIRONMENT INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>EEI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000933327</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FRANK RONALD L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>368 PLEASANT VIEW DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LANCASTER</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>14086</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Executive V.P. of Finance</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>187234</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-08-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>793</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>10.05</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>16906</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6265</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by 401 k Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7640</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By IRA</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Class B Common Stock is convertible one-for-one into Class A Common Stock</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Reporting person is a party to an Agreement dated May 12, 1970, as amended January 24, 2011, among Messrs. Gerhard J. Neumaier (deceased 2013), Frank B. Silvestro, Gerald A. Strobel and Ronald L. Frank, whereby none of the shares (now classified as Class B Common Stock) subject to the Agreement including shares owned by them, certain children of those individuals and any such shares subsequently transferred to their spouses and/or children outright or in trust for their benefit upon the demise of a signatory to that agreement may be sold without the seller first granting the other signatories a right of first refusal.   This is not an admission that the reporting person is the beneficial owner of the shares held in the name of others nor is this an admission that all shares held by the reporting person are subject to the Agreement</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Ronald L. Frank</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-08-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
