A method for obtaining high purity N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-pyrrolidone satisfactory for use as an intermediate material for N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone from a reaction liquid formed of a reaction between y-butyrolactone and 2-aminoethanol, i.e., a liquid containing N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-pyrrolidone, compounds having boiling points lower than that of N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-pyrrolidone and compounds having boiling points higher than that of N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-pyrrolidone. The method is characterized by distilling said reaction liquid using a distillation column, whereby obtaining a liquid containing the compounds having the lower boiling points than that of N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-pyrrolidone and N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-pyrrolidone as a distillate liquid from the column top and a liquid containing compounds having boiling points higher than that of N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-pyrrolidone as a bottom liquid.