James Stephen (March 29, 1858 – September 27, 1938) was an American architect. He was the premier school architect in Western Washington state in the early 1900s. Originally working with wood frame buildings, around 1908 he brought more modern and fire-resistive designs to the Seattle area. He, and later with his son, was responsible for the design of at least fifty schools in Washington as well as many other kinds of buildings. At least three of the schools are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.