An organic electroluminescence element which comprises an anode, a luminescent layer, two or more electron transport layers and a cathode, in this order, wherein at least one of the two or more electron transport layers adjoins the luminescent layer, the luminescent layer contains a luminescent material and a charge transport material, the electron transport layer which adjoins the luminescent layer contains a charge transport material that has both a unit having the property of transporting an electron and a unit having the property of transporting a hole, wherein the two units are directly bonded to each other or are bonded through a linking group interposed therebetween, the charge transport material contained in the luminescent layer and the charge transport material contained in the electron transport layer which adjoins the luminescent layer may be the same material or may be different material, when an electron affinity of the charge transport material which serves to transport electrons, among the charge transport materials contained in the luminescent layer, is expressed by EA1, and an electron affinity of the charge transport material which is the highest in an absolute value of electron affinity, among the charge transport materials contained in the electron transport layer that adjoins the luminescent layer, is expressed by EA2, then EA1 and EA2 satisfy the relationship represented by the following expression, and when an electron affinity of the charge transport material which is the highest in an absolute value of electron affinity, among the charge transport materials contained in the electron transport layer located on the most cathode side among the two or more electron transport layers, is expressed by EA3, and a work function of the cathode is expressed by WF, then EA3 and WF satisfy the relationship represented by the following expression: 0.00 eV ≤ | EA 1 | − | EA 2 | ≤ 0.20 eV − 1.60 eV ≤ | WF | − | EA3 | ≤ 1.60 eV, wherein the electron affinity of a charge transport material is a value calculated from both a band gap Eg calculated from an absorption spectrum of a single-layer film thereof and the value of ionization potential IP using the equation: EA = IP − Eg, wherein the ionization potential IP of the charge transport material is measured by using an ionization potential measuring apparatus PCR-101, manufactured by OPTEL Co., Ltd., while keeping the apparatus evacuated to 1.3 kPa (10 Torr) or lower, and a sample produced by forming a film of the charge transport material having a thickness of 50 nm on an ITO substrate by a wet or dry method, and the band gap Eg is obtained through examination of a thin-film absorption spectrum of a sample with an absorptiometer for the ultraviolet-visible region, drawing tangents to the thin-film absorption spectrum from the base line in the shorter-wavelength-side rising part of the absorption spectrum and determining the wavelength W (nm) corresponding to the intersection of the two tangents, wherein the sample is produced by forming a film of the charge transport material on a glass substrate by a wet or dry method and the band gap Eg is determined from the wavelength W using the following equation: Eg = 1240 ÷ W ⁢.