1 [PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LOGO] Exhibit 23 CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS The Board of Directors FirstMerit Corporation We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in Registration Statement Nos. 33-47074, 33-47147, 33-57557, 33-63101, 333-66129, 333-72287 and 333-78953 on Forms S-8, of our report dated January 31, 2001, relating to the financial statements which appears in the Annual Report to Shareholders of FirstMerit Corporation, which is incorporated by reference in FirstMerit Corporation's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000. We also consent to the use of our reports dated April 18, 2001, relating to the FirstMerit Corporation and Subsidiaries Employees' Stock Purchase Plan and the FirstMerit Corporation and Subsidiaries Employees' Salary Savings Retirement Plan which appear in this Amendment No. 1 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of FirstMerit Corporation. /s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Columbus, Ohio April 25, 2001