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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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 R7Ei58DSsJMq4bPflC1eCQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001213950-03-000029.txt : 20031125
<SEC-HEADER>0001213950-03-000029.hdr.sgml : 20031125
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031125192636
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001213950-03-000029
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031125
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031125

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			RYLAND GROUP INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000085974
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	OPERATIVE BUILDERS [1531]
		IRS NUMBER:				520849948
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MD
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		24025 PARK SORRENTO
		STREET 2:		SUITE 400
		CITY:			CALABASAS
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			91302
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8182237500

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	RYAN JAMES P CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19720414

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ELDER ERIC E
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001214405

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-08029
		FILM NUMBER:		031024289

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		636 THAYER AVENUE
		CITY:			LOS ANGELES
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			90024
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8182237500

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		636 THAYER AVENUE
		CITY:			LOS ANGELES
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			90024
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001214405d20031125f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-11-25</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000085974</issuerCik><issuerName>RYLAND GROUP INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>RYL</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001214405</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>ELDER ERIC E</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>636 THAYER AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>90024</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDeriva
tiveTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-25</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>9900</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>8.22</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>33477</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonD
erivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-25</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>9900</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>89.7252</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>23577</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTa
ble><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>8.22</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-11-25</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>9900</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2001-03-13</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-03-13</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>9900</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingS
ecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5100</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Includes 975 shares held by the Ryland Retirement Savings Opportunity Plan and allocated to the account of the Reporting Person pursuant to the conversion of shares of Series A ESOP Convertible Preferred Shares held by the Plan as required by Section 409(1)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The Stock Option vested in three equal installments on March 13, 2001, 2002 and 2003.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Sheri L. Markham, Attorney-In-Fact for</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-11-25</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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