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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-29</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000899171</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CDW COMPUTER CENTERS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CDWC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000942499</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KRASNY MICHARLE P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>79853</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>.0042</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>22410496</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>1998-08-08</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>38305</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Son</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The reporting person established the MPK Stock Option Plan out of his personal holdings to which he granted options to acquire a total of 16,573,500 shares to certain key employees of CDW Computer Centers, Inc.  On May 29, 2003, one of these employees exercised options to acquire a total of 79,853 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $.004175 per share under the MPK Stock Option Plan.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Robert J. Welyki, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-29</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

