A method for producing a water absorbent resin, the method including a polymerization step, a drying step, a classification step, and a surface crosslinking step. The classification step carried out before or after the surface crosslinking step requires use of a metal sieve mesh having stretch tension from 35 to 100 N/cm, in which an air jet cleaner or an air jet brush cleaner and plural tapping balls or tapping blocks are installed below the metal sieve mesh, a classification aid particle having specific gravity different from that of the water absorbent resin powder is added, and a fine powder of the water absorbent resin and the classification aid particle are removed.
