A method of making a light emitting element, the light emitting element with a semiconductor layer represented by: AlXInYGa1−X−YN (0≦X≦1, 0≦Y≦1, 0≦X+Y≦1), has the step of wet-etching a surface of the semiconductor layer by using an etching solution to have a roughened surface on the semiconductor layer. The wet-etching is conducted without irradiating the surface of the semiconductor layer with a light with a wavelength region corresponding to energy higher than bandgap energy of the semiconductor layer.