An apparatus and method for employing a token based arbiter. The apparatus includes a priority provider (26) comprising a processor for calculating an arbiter metric and an identity provider (18) having a processor for embedding the metric into a secured token. The apparatus also comprises memory coupled to the processor having one or more instructions executable at the processor. The processor is operable when executing the instructions to: collect authorization attributes (A) from one or more users seeking use of a resource (20) associated with a service provider; determine the level of priority to the one or more users based on prescribed policy of the priority provider; assign at least one arbiter metric (22, 32) to a secured token (T) for each of the one or more users based on the level of priority identified by the priority provider.