A sensor element includes: an inner protective layer having a porosity of 30% to 65% on two main surfaces; an intermediate protective layer, at least a part of which has contact with the inner layer, and having a porosity of 25% to 80%, which is equal to or smaller than the porosity of the inner layer; and an outer protective layer surrounding an element base on an outermost periphery on the one end portion of the sensor element, having contact with the intermediate and the inner layer, having contact with a leading end surface of the element base or the intermediate layer on the leading end surface, and having a porosity of 15% to 30%, which is smaller than the porosity of the intermediate layer, wherein a difference of porosity between the inner and the outer layer is 10% to 50%.