<ARTICLE>                                    9
<LEGEND>
      This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-Q and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial
statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                        0000818969
<NAME>                       PROVIDENT BANKSHARES CORPORATION
<MULTIPLIER>                                                        1,000
<CURRENCY>                                                   U.S. Dollars

                                     
<PERIOD-TYPE>                           9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                             DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                                                JAN-01-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                                  SEP-30-2000
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                                         1
<CASH>                                                             80,013
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                                                  0
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                                                        0
<TRADING-ASSETS>                                                        0
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>                                     2,027,827
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                                                  0
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                                                    0
<LOANS>                                                         3,380,288
<ALLOWANCE>                                                        40,396
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                  5,699,268
<DEPOSITS>                                                      4,017,396
<SHORT-TERM>                                                      576,990
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                                                43,226
<LONG-TERM>                                                       687,255
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                              67,951
<PREFERRED>                                                             0
<COMMON>                                                           29,650
<OTHER-SE>                                                        276,800
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>                                  5,699,268
<INTEREST-LOAN>                                                   212,496
<INTEREST-INVEST>                                                  93,090
<INTEREST-OTHER>                                                    1,738
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                                                  307,324
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                                                131,714
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                187,019
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                                             120,305
<LOAN-LOSSES>                                                      20,620
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                                                  7,858
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                                                    61,232
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                                    46,311
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                                         31,465
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                                       770
<CHANGES>                                                               0
<NET-INCOME>                                                       32,235
<EPS-BASIC>                                                          1.23
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                        1.20
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                                       3.07
<LOANS-NON>                                                        19,122
<LOANS-PAST>                                                       32,616
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                                                      175
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                                         0
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                                                   39,780
<CHARGE-OFFS>                                                      20,896
<RECOVERIES>                                                        1,438
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                                                  40,396
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                                               40,396
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                                                     0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                                                 0