James L. Oblinger is an American academic administrator who was the 13th Chancellor of North Carolina State University.

He served in this position from 2004, after the resignation of Chancellor Marye Anne Fox, until his resignation on June 8, 2009, amid increased public and media scrutiny surrounding the hiring and compensation of Mary P. Easley, wife of former Governor Mike Easley and the severance package provided for former provost Larry Nielsen.

During the early years of Oblinger's career, he served at the University of Missouri as Associate Dean & Director of Resident Instruction, College of Agriculture and at the University of Florida as Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition.

He received the Institute of Food Technologists' William V. Cruess Award in 1983.

[citation needed] The position Oblinger first held at N.C. State was as the Associate Dean of Academic Programs in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.