Photoacoustic (PA) spectra were obtained for CdSe nanorods (NRs) of different aspect ratios, prepared via the organometallic synthesis. The second derivative spectra were used to have an accurate determination of the different excitonic transitions. Using the lowest transition energy (band gap) 1S(e)-1S1/2(h) and applying the effective mass model, the NRs diameters were determined. The obtained diameters were then compared to direct measurements of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and XRD. It is observed that the band gap depends on the diameter of the rods due to quantum confinement effect, since diameters are of the order of the bulk CdSe Bohr radius. The second derivative of the PA spectra for CdSe NRs also shows clearly a second excitonic transition1P(e)-1P1/2(h) in contrast to UVVis absorption spectra carried out for colloidal samples. The thermal parameters for samples were also measured and compared to the bulk values.