A silicon carbide epitaxial wafer includes a single crystal silicon carbide substrate of 4H polytype having a major surface thereof inclined at an angle θ to a {0001} plane toward a direction, and a silicon carbide epitaxial layer of a thickness t formed on the major surface, wherein a diameter of the single crystal silicon carbide substrate is greater than or equal to 150 mm, wherein the angle θ exceeds 0°, and is less than or equal to 6°, wherein one or more pairs of a screw dislocation pit and a diagonal line defect situated at a distance of t/tanθ from the pit are present in a surface of the silicon carbide epitaxial layer, and wherein a density of the pairs of a pit and a diagonal line defect is less than or equal to 2 pairs/cm2.