A magnetic recording medium which comprises a non-magnetic support having thereon a magnetic recording layer containing ferromagnetic metal particles and a binder, wherein the ferromagnetic metal particles have a specfic area of about 35 to about 80 m.sup.2 /g, and the magnetic recording layer has a surface roughness of about 0.001 to 0.04 .mu.m and a residual amount of the solvent is about 0.5 to about 30 mg/m.sup.2.