Niels Ødegaard (25 September 1892 – 1976) was a Norwegian educator, newspaper editor and politician for the Labour and Communist parties.

He was born in Gjøvik as a son of shoemaker Anton Ødegaard (1865–1931) and his wife Pauline Josefine Nielsen (1863–1943).

He started his working career in a printing press from 1906 to 1909 and then as an office clerk for O. Mustad & Søn from 1909 to 1911.

In 1919 he became editor-in-chief of the newspaper Ny Dag, He was also a member of Gjøvik city council from 1919, and served as mayor from 1922 to 1940.

[6] He also spearheaded policies, branded "Ødegaardianism", that bore the characteristics of a mixed economy (i.e. not really socialism).