A photographing optical lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element, a fifth lens element and a sixth lens element. The first lens element with positive refractive power has an object-side surface being convex in a paraxial region thereof. The second lens element has refractive power. Each of the third through sixth lens elements has refractive power and an object-side surface and an image-side surface being both aspheric. The photographing optical lens assembly has a total of six lens elements with refractive power.