COOPERS     | COOPERS & LYBRAND L.L.P.        | Morris County Financial Center     | telephone (201) 829-9000
& LYBRAND   |                                 | One Sylvan Way                     |
            |                                 | Parsippany, New Jersey 07054       | facsimile (201) 829-9313
            |                                 |                                    |
            | a professional services firm    |                                    |
                                                                                   




                                                                  EXHIBIT 23(b)


                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this registration statement of
Carnegie Bancorp (the "Company") on Form S-8 (File No. 333-xxxxx) of our report
dated February 3, 1997, which includes an explanatory paragraph regarding the
change in method of accounting for certain investment securities in 1994, on our
audits of the consolidated financial statements of Carnegie Bancorp and
Subsidiary as of December 31, 1996 and 1995 and for the years ended December 31,
1996, 1995 and 1994 which is included in the 1996 Annual Report on Form 10-KSB
which is incorporated by reference herein. We also consent to the reference to
our Firm under the caption "Experts".


                                                       COOPERS & LYBRAND L.L.P.


Princeton, New Jersey
June 16, 1997