The invention relates to rare earth phosphate-based orange red fluorescent powder and a preparation method thereof, the chemical formula of the rare earth phosphate-based orange red fluorescent powderis RbSrGd1-xEux(PO4)2, and x is equal to 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.1, 0.12, 0.14 and 0.15. The preparation method comprises the following steps: weighing rubidium chloride, strontium carbonate, gadolinium oxide, europium oxide and diammonium hydrogen phosphate; wherein the mass ratio of rubidium chloride to strontium carbonate to gadolinium oxide to europium oxide to diammonium hydrogen phosphateis 19:19:9.5(1-x):9.5x:38, wherein x is equal to 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.1, 0.12, 0.14 or 0.15, performing grinding and uniform mixing, performing heating to 970-990 DEG C in a box-type resistancefurnace in an air atmosphere, performing heat preservation for 6-10h, performing furnace cooling to room temperature, taking out the product, and performing grinding to obtain a finished product. Thepreparation method is simple, the preparation temperature is low, the emission intensity is high, the performance is stable, Eu<3+> is used as a main activating agent, the excitable light wavelength range is wide, the excitable light wavelength range can be effectively excited by near ultraviolet light or blue light emitted by a semiconductor LED chip, sharp spectral line emission is presented, and the material belongs to an orange red light range. The fluorescent powder can emit bright orange red light under the excitation of light with the wavelength of 393 nm.