The present invention provides a zoom lens that suppresses the generation of unnecessary light and is suitable for a projection lens. The zoom lens is used as a projection lens of a projector in which a prism is located between the projection lens and a spatial optical modulating element B. A lens closest to the spatial optical modulating element B is a meniscus positive lens whose convex surface faces a screen. A refractive index of the meniscus positive lens is 1.75 or more.