A semiconductor laser element includes an n-side semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a p-side semiconductor layer, layered upward in this order, each being made of a nitride semiconductor. The active layer includes one or more well layers, and an n-side barrier layer located lower than the one or more well layers. The n-side semiconductor layer includes a composition-graded layer located in contact with the n-side barrier layer. The composition-graded layer has a band-gap energy that decreases toward an upper side of the composition-graded layer, with a band-gap energy of the upper side being smaller than a band-gap energy of the n-side barrier layer. The composition-graded layer has an n-type dopant concentration greater than 5×1017/cm3 and less than or equal to 2×1018/cm3. The n-side barrier layer has an n-type dopant concentration greater than that of the composition-graded layer and a thickness smaller than that of the composition graded layer.