A nitride semiconductor laser element comprises; a nitride semiconductor layer that includes a first nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second nitride semiconductor layer, and that has a cavity with end faces, and a first protective film that is in contact with at least one end face of the cavity, wherein the first protective film has a film structure in which bright and dark parts comprising a region in contact with the active layer and a region in contact with the first and second nitride semiconductor layers are observed under scanning transmission electron microscopy, or the first protective film has a film structure in which the crystallinity at a portion adjacent to the active layer is different from that at portions adjacent to the first and second nitride semiconductor layers.