A nitride semiconductor laser element comprises; a nitride semiconductor layer that includes a first nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second nitride semiconductor layer, and that has a cavity with end faces, and a protective film formed on at least one end face of the cavity, wherein the protective film is formed of a first film with a crystal structure that has the same axial orientation as that of the nitride semiconductor layer constituting the end face of the cavity, and a second film with a crystal structure that has a different axial orientation from that of the first film, in this order from the side of the end face.