To provide a surface characteristics evaluation apparatus and a surface characteristics evaluation method that evaluate the residual stress in a steel material subjected to a surface modification treatment by considering the distribution thereof in the depth direction. The surface characteristics evaluation apparatus includes an oscillator, a detector, and a measuring instrument. The steel material is placed to abut against or close to a coil in the detector. The oscillator applies an alternating current to the coil, and computation is performed based on a signal indicating an electric characteristic of the coil. The residual stress in the steel material is evaluated by performing this operation while successively changing the frequency of the alternating current. The coil is configured to have a self-resonant frequency higher than the operating frequency.