After taking over operations in 1964, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) began rebranding efforts.
The East Boston Tunnel/Revere Extension and Main Line El/Washington Street Tunnel routes were renamed as the Blue Line and Orange Line on August 25, 1965.
On January 25, 1967, the separate station names of Devonshire and Milk/State were changed to State.
In 1971, the MBTA and Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston held a competition called "Design in Transit", with the winning work to be placed in the passageway to the southbound Orange Line platform.
It attracted over 300 entries, many of which were criticized for being inappropriate for the setting: "spooky shadow play" that would scare riders already in a nervous atmosphere, and audio works that would add to the cacophony of the busy station.
The winning work by Robert V. Kennedy had swatches of bright rainbow colors with timed lighting; it was installed in 1972.

That year, the agency received a federal grant that funded two-thirds of a $14.3 million modernization program for downtown stations.
As part of that project, the MBTA investigated the feasibility of connecting Essex, Park Street, Washington, and State with pedestrian tunnels.
The MBTA proposed to make the City Hall (Adams Square) headhouse exit-only during budget cuts in 1981.

 
In the mid-1980s, the MBTA spent $80 million to extend the platforms of seven Red Line and three Orange Line stations to allow the use of six-car trains.
On October 16, 1985, the MBTA awarded a $5.03 million contact for the Orange Line work at State.
Construction at State began that year and was completed in 1987.
The project extended both Orange Line platforms (the shell of the northbound extension had been constructed during an earlier modernization project), and rebuilt the Milk Street entrance.
Elevators were added from Milk Street to the southbound platform, and between the Orange Line platforms; this made both Orange Line platforms and the eastbound Blue Line platform accessible. (
Until renovations at Haymarket and North Station in 2001, State was the closest accessible subway station to the North Station commuter rail terminal.)
Six-car trains entered service on August 18, 1987, shortly after the platform extensions were complete.

From 1997 to 2000, State was renamed State/Citizens Bank in a $500,000 corporate sponsorship from Citizens Bank, who had recently moved to the area, and hoped to eventually have the name changed to simply Citizens Bank Plaza.
The sponsorship failed and the name reverted to State.
During the renovation of Aquarium station, during which that station was closed, State was renamed temporarily State/Aquarium from October 14, 2000 to October 29, 2001.

An extensive renovation of State began in November 2004.
The project added accessible Blue Line entrances at 53 State and 60 State, extended the Blue Line platforms for 6-car trains, and added a ramp between the inbound Blue Line platform and the northbound Orange Line platform.
The MBTA initially expected the work to be completed in 2007 at a cost of $38 million.
However, several factors prolonged the project and increased its cost.
Keeping the station open during extensive underground construction proved more difficult than expected; support structures had to be drilled through centuries-old foundations and seawalls.
The MBTA settled a lawsuit over systemwide accessibility issues in 2006, which necessitated changes to the station design.
The change from token payment to the Charliecard system required closing the Blue Line level of the station from June 24 to July 1.
The 6-year-long reconstruction of the station was substantially completed in 2011, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 26.
The final project cost was $68.3 million, of which about $12 million was design and land acquisition.
In October 2011, a 1904 plaque that marked the completion of the East Boston Tunnel was reinstalled in the station.

On June 24, 2019, the MBTA Board awarded a $29.7 million, 16-month contract for full cleaning, wayfinding signage replacement, and other imp
After taking over operations in 1964, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) began rebranding efforts. The East Boston Tunnel/Revere Extension and Main Line El/Washington Street Tunnel routes were renamed as the Blue Line and Orange Line on August 25, 1965. On January 25, 1967, the separate station names of Devonshire and Milk/State were changed to State. In 1971, the MBTA and Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston held a competition called "Design in Transit", with the winning work to be placed in the passageway to the southbound Orange Line platform. It attracted over 300 entries, many of which were criticized for being inappropriate for the setting: "spooky shadow play" that would scare riders already in a nervous atmosphere, and audio works that would add to the cacophony of the busy station. The winning work by Robert V. Kennedy had swatches of bright rainbow colors with timed lighting; it was installed in 1972. 
That year, the agency received a federal grant that funded two-thirds of a $14.3 million modernization program for downtown stations. As part of that project, the MBTA investigated the feasibility of connecting Essex, Park Street, Washington, and State with pedestrian tunnels. The MBTA proposed to make the City Hall (Adams Square) headhouse exit-only during budget cuts in 1981.
 
In the mid-1980s, the MBTA spent $80 million to extend the platforms of seven Red Line and three Orange Line stations to allow the use of six-car trains. On October 16, 1985, the MBTA awarded a $5.03 million contact for the Orange Line work at State. Construction at State began that year and was completed in 1987. The project extended both Orange Line platforms (the shell of the northbound extension had been constructed during an earlier modernization project), and rebuilt the Milk Street entrance. Elevators were added from Milk Street to the southbound platform, and between the Orange Line platforms; this made both Orange Line platforms and the eastbound Blue Line platform accessible. (Until renovations at Haymarket and North Station in 2001, State was the closest accessible subway station to the North Station commuter rail terminal.) Six-car trains entered service on August 18, 1987, shortly after the platform extensions were complete.
From 1997 to 2000, State was renamed State/Citizens Bank in a $500,000 corporate sponsorship from Citizens Bank, who had recently moved to the area, and hoped to eventually have the name changed to simply Citizens Bank Plaza. The sponsorship failed and the name reverted to State. During the renovation of Aquarium station, during which that station was closed, State was renamed temporarily State/Aquarium from October 14, 2000 to October 29, 2001.
An extensive renovation of State began in November 2004. The project added accessible Blue Line entrances at 53 State and 60 State, extended the Blue Line platforms for 6-car trains, and added a ramp between the inbound Blue Line platform and the northbound Orange Line platform. The MBTA initially expected the work to be completed in 2007 at a cost of $38 million. However, several factors prolonged the project and increased its cost. Keeping the station open during extensive underground construction proved more difficult than expected; support structures had to be drilled through centuries-old foundations and seawalls. The MBTA settled a lawsuit over systemwide accessibility issues in 2006, which necessitated changes to the station design. The change from token payment to the Charliecard system required closing the Blue Line level of the station from June 24 to July 1. The 6-year-long reconstruction of the station was substantially completed in 2011, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 26. The final project cost was $68.3 million, of which about $12 million was design and land acquisition. In October 2011, a 1904 plaque that marked the completion of the East Boston Tunnel was reinstalled in the station.
On June 24, 2019, the MBTA Board awarded a $29.7 million, 16-month contract for full cleaning, wayfinding signage replacement, and other imp
State station