A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium that includes a nonmagnetic underlayer, a magnetic layer, a protective layer, and a lubricant layer sequentially laminated on a nonmagnetic substrate. The method includes applying a lubricant onto the protective layer to form the lubricant layer, which includes ejecting shots of a heated lubricant liquid onto the protective layer from a nozzle. The heated lubricant liquid contains a perfluoropolyether lubricant, and each shot is of a quantity in a range of 0.1 to 10 pico liters.