We used first motion data for earthquakes at four Alaskan volcanoes, namely Pavlof, Dutton, Akutan, and Makushin, to compute composite focal mechanism solutions for groups of earthquakes recorded between August 1996 and September 1998. The composite focal mechanisms show considerable variation for the four volcanoes. For a group of events at Pavlof we found a solution that represents thrusting, with nodal planes striking WNW. This may represent dominantly compressional stresses prevailing in the area, oriented about 40 degrees off of the direction of plate convergence. At Dutton volcano, solutions were computed for two clusters of earthquakes. The solution for a cluster NW of the summit represents thrust faulting with the pressure axis oriented parallel to the direction of plate convergence. For Akutan volcano, the solution for a cluster located E of the volcano represents normal faulting with the pressure axis oriented orthogonal to the direction of plate convergence. The solution for another cluster located NW of the summit shows strike-slip faulting and the pressure axis oriented in the E-W direction. Based on both of these observations we suggest that local stresses may dominate at Akutan volcano, because the P-axes appear to be unrelated to plate convergence. At Makushin volcano we obtained constrained solutions for three clusters. For a cluster located NE of the summit we found strike-slip faulting with a normal component and the pressure axis nearly parallel to the direction of plate convergence. For a cluster located E of the summit, the solution is strike-slip faulting with the pressure axis oriented SE-NW (sub-parallel to plate convergence). For a cluster located NW of Makushin's summit the composite solution shows thrust faulting with the pressure axis oriented SE-NW. Again this suggests local stresses superimposed on those due to plate convergence.