Disclosed is an organic electroluminescent element having high luminous efficiency and long life. Also disclosed are a display device and an illuminating device respectively using such an organic electroluminescent element. Specifically disclosed is an organic electroluminescent element comprising an electrode and at least one or more organic layers on a substrate. This organic electroluminescent element is characterized in that at least one of the organic layers is a light-emitting layer containing a phosphorescent compound and a host compound, the phosphorescent compound has a HOMO of −5.15 to −3.50 eV and a LUMO of from −1.25 to +1.00 eV, and the host compound has a 0-0 band of the phosphorescence spectrum at not more than 460 nm and a glass transition temperature of not less than 60° C.