<ARTICLE>                                            9
<LEGEND>
     FORM 10-K
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                         0000708848
<NAME>                        FIRST CITIZENS BANCORPORATION
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                   DEC-31-1998
<CASH>                                         115,795
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                         0
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                               64,000
<TRADING-ASSETS>                               0
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>                    32,542
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                         591,286
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                           594,433
<LOANS>                                        1,573,069
<ALLOWANCE>                                    (28,306)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 2,483,768
<DEPOSITS>                                     2,037,487
<SHORT-TERM>                                   204,702
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                            17,404
<LONG-TERM>                                    50,000
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    3,282
<COMMON>                                       4,608
<OTHER-SE>                                     166,285
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>                 2,483,768
<INTEREST-LOAN>                                129,415
<INTEREST-INVEST>                              33,405
<INTEREST-OTHER>                               2,551
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                               165,371
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                             60,257
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             73,032
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                          92,339
<LOAN-LOSSES>                                  4,303
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                             36
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                                80,609
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                36,334
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                     36,334
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   23,618
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  25.30
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  25.30
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                 7.76
<LOANS-NON>                                    2,248
<LOANS-PAST>                                   1,522
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                               0
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                23,610
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                               26,135
<CHARGE-OFFS>                                  3,869
<RECOVERIES>                                   1,737
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                              28,306
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                           28,306
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                            0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                        10,032