Provided is a thin film magnetic head capable of securing recording characteristics even in the case where a return pole layer is disposed on a medium-outgoing side of the pole layer. The return yoke layer is disposed on a trailing side of the pole layer, and a neck height NH is within a range of NH.ltoreq.W1 (a width of a front end portion in a main pole layer)+0.05 .mu.m, and a height ratio (a ratio of the neck height NH to a throat height TH) NH/TH is within a range of 0.5