An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing water absorbent resin powder in which permeability potential (SFC) is improved while a water absorbing rate (FSR) is being kept. The method is a method for producing water absorbent polyacrylic acid (salt) resin powder including the steps of: (i) polymerizing an acrylic acid (salt) monomer aqueous solution; (ii) during or after the step of (i), performing gel grinding of a hydrogel crosslinked polymer obtained by the polymerization, wherein the hydrogel crosslinked polymer has resin solid content of 10 wt % to 80 wt %, and the gel grinding is carried out with gel grinding energy (GGE) of 18 [J/g] to 60 [J/g]; (iii) drying a particulate hydrogel crosslinked polymer obtained by the gel grinding, wherein the drying is performed at 150° C. to 250° C.; and (iv) carrying out a surface treatment to the particulate hydrogel crosslinked polymer thus dried.