In Greece, he was a fellow at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (1911–1913), during which time he worked on excavations at Locris, Corinth and Korakou.
 During World War I Blegen was involved in relief work in Bulgaria and Macedonia, receiving the Saviors Order from Greece in 1919.
 Following the war he completed his Ph.D. at Yale (1920).
He was then assistant director of the American School (1920–26); during his tenure he excavated at Zygouries, Phlius, Prosymna, and Hymettos.
  In 1927,  Blegen joined the faculty of the University of Cincinnati.
Blegen was professor of classical archaeology at the University of Cincinnati from 1927–1957.
 His excavations at Troy were carried out between 1932 and 1938, followed by those at the Palace of Nestor in Pylos, Greece in 1939 (the dig resumed 1952-1966).
Many of the finds from this excavation are housed in the Archaeological Museum of Chora.
Blegen retired in 1957.

He received honorary degrees from the University of Oslo and the University of Thessaloniki in 1951; an honorary D.Litt.
from the University of Oxford in 1957 and an honorary LL.D. from the University of Cincinnati in 1958.
 Further honorary degrees came in 1963:  Litt.
D. from Cambridge, and others from the University of Athens, Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem.
 In 1965 Blegen became the first recipient of the Archaeological Institute of America's  Gold Medal for archaeological achievement.

The Carl Blegen Library is located on the campus of the University of Cincinnati.
The library has curated an exhibit called Discovering Carl Blegen which includes images from Blegen's major campaigns in Troy and Pylos as well as his work and life at UC and abroad.
Blegen Library at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens is named also after Carl Blegen.
Blegen Hall on the University of Minnesota Twin City Campus is named after his brother Theodore C. Blegen.
In Greece, he was a fellow at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (1911–1913), during which time he worked on excavations at Locris, Corinth and Korakou.  During World War I Blegen was involved in relief work in Bulgaria and Macedonia, receiving the Saviors Order from Greece in 1919.  Following the war he completed his Ph.D. at Yale (1920). He was then assistant director of the American School (1920–26); during his tenure he excavated at Zygouries, Phlius, Prosymna, and Hymettos.   In 1927,  Blegen joined the faculty of the University of Cincinnati. Blegen was professor of classical archaeology at the University of Cincinnati from 1927–1957.  His excavations at Troy were carried out between 1932 and 1938, followed by those at the Palace of Nestor in Pylos, Greece in 1939 (the dig resumed 1952-1966). Many of the finds from this excavation are housed in the Archaeological Museum of Chora. Blegen retired in 1957.
He received honorary degrees from the University of Oslo and the University of Thessaloniki in 1951; an honorary D.Litt. from the University of Oxford in 1957 and an honorary LL.D. from the University of Cincinnati in 1958.  Further honorary degrees came in 1963:  Litt.D. from Cambridge, and others from the University of Athens, Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem.  In 1965 Blegen became the first recipient of the Archaeological Institute of America's  Gold Medal for archaeological achievement.
The Carl Blegen Library is located on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. The library has curated an exhibit called Discovering Carl Blegen which includes images from Blegen's major campaigns in Troy and Pylos as well as his work and life at UC and abroad. Blegen Library at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens is named also after Carl Blegen. Blegen Hall on the University of Minnesota Twin City Campus is named after his brother Theodore C. Blegen.
Carl Blegen