An organic electroluminescence element has an anode, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer made of organic compounds, an electron transport layer and a cathode. The light emitting layer comprises an organic host material having an electron transport capability and an organic guest material of phosphorescent material. An ionization potential energy of the organic host material is higher than that of the hole transport layer. The difference in the ionization potential energy between the organic host material of the light emitting layer and the hole transport layer is in a range from 0.4 eV to 0.8 eV.