Apparatus and methods for load balancing fixed priority threads in a multiprocessor system are provided. The apparatus and methods of the present invention identify unbound fixed priority threads at the top of local run queues. A best fixed priority thread is then identified and its priority checked against the priorities of threads executing on processors of the node. A set of executing threads that may be displaced by the best fixed priority thread is identified. The lowest priority executing thread from the set is then identified and the best fixed priority thread is moved to displace this lowest priority executing thread.