UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 25, 2004

                       PROVIDENT FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

          Delaware                      001-31566                42-1547151
-----------------------------     ---------------------     -------------------
(State or Other Jurisdiction)     (Commission File No.)      (I.R.S. Employer
      of Incorporation)                                     Identification No.)


830 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey                           07306-4599
------------------------------------------                           ----------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                             (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (201) 333-1000
                                                     --------------

                                 Not Applicable
                                 --------------
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

[ ]  Written communications  pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
     CFR 230.425)

[ ]  Soliciting  material  pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17
     CFR 240.14a-12)

[ ]  Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to Rule  14d-2(b)  under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ]  Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to Rule  13e-4(c)  under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))





Item 2.02       Results of Operation and Financial Condition.
                ---------------------------------------------
     On October 25, 2004,  Provident  Financial  Services,  Inc. (the "Company")
issued a press release  reporting  its financial  results for the three and nine
months ended  September  30,  2004.  A copy of the press  release is attached as
Exhibit  99.1 to this report and is being  furnished to the SEC and shall not be
deemed "filed" for any purpose.

Item 7.01       Regulation FD Disclosure.
                -------------------------

     On October 25,  2004,  the Company  announced  that its Board of  Directors
declared  a  $0.06  per  share  dividend,   payable  on  November  30,  2004  to
stockholders  of record on November 12, 2004. The  announcement  was included as
part of the press release announcing  financial results issued by the Company on
October 25 and  attached  as Exhibit  99.1 to this  report.  A copy of the press
release is being  furnished  to the SEC and shall not be deemed  "filed" for any
purpose.

Item 9.01.      Financial Statements and Exhibits
                ---------------------------------

              (c) Exhibits.

                  Exhibit No.               Description
                  -----------               -----------

                    99.1                    Press  release issued by the Company
                                            on  October 25, 2004  announcing its
                                            financial  results for the three and
                                            nine months ended September 30, 2004
                                            and the  declaration of a  quarterly
                                            cash dividend.





                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.

                                           PROVIDENT FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.



DATE:  October 25, 2004             By:    /s/ Paul M. Pantozzi
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Paul M. Pantozzi
                                           Chairman and Chief Executive Officer





                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit           Description

 99.1             Press  release  issued  by  the  Company on  October 25,  2004
                  announcing its financial results for the three and nine months
                  ended  September 30, 2004 and  the declaration  of a quarterly
                  cash dividend.