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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 U+vqOTVHcsONDgeyy1ifevJ+RtByhZFDhKLru0pAcFpFdPRFkCL42/n0V2xoG0n2
 luToPnMuUKpG6Rot5r7IKA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001212425-03-000003.txt : 20031002
<SEC-HEADER>0001212425-03-000003.hdr.sgml : 20031002
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031002112511
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001212425-03-000003
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031001
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031002

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			AMERICAN MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000310624
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-COMPUTER PROGRAMMING, DATA PROCESSING, ETC. [7370]
		IRS NUMBER:				540856778
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4050 LEGATO RD
		CITY:			FAIRFAX
		STATE:			VA
		ZIP:			22033
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7032678000

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			REAGAN JAMES
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001212425

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-09233
		FILM NUMBER:		03922664

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O AMS
		STREET 2:		4050 LEGATO ROAD
		CITY:			FAIRFAX
		STATE:			VA
		ZIP:			22033
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7032678679
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-10-01</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000310624</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICAN MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AMSY</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001212425</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>REAGAN JAMES</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>4050 LEGATO ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>FAIRFAX</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>VA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>22033</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Executive Vice President, CFO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>20.93</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-05-13</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></under
lyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>25000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>25000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>11.04</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-03-06</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactio
nAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>12.98</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-10-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>20000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F4"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-10-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></u
nderlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Options vest in four equal annual installments beginning on May 13, 2003.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Options vest in three eqaul annual installments beginning on March 6, 2004.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Options vest in three equal annual installments beginning on October 1, 2004.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Grant of 16b-3 option.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Patricia Drohan as Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-02</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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