EXHIBIT 23.3

                        [LETTERHEAD OF RP FINANCIAL, LC.]


                                                       October 31, 2002



     Board of Managers
     The Provident Bank
     830 Bergen Avenue
     Jersey City, New Jersey 07306-4599

     Members of the Board:

          We hereby consent to the use of our firm's name in the registration
     statement on Form S-1, applications for the conversion and holding company
     formation and any amendments thereto, for The Provident Bank ("Provident")
     in which Provident will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Provident
     Financial Services, Inc. ("Provident Financial"), and Provident Financial
     will sell its Common Stock to the public. We also hereby consent to the
     inclusion of, summary of and references to our Appraisal Report and our
     statement concerning subscription rights in such filings including the
     Prospectus of Provident Financial Services, Inc. as amended.

                                                         Sincerely,

                                                         /s/RP FINANCIAL, LC.