I noticed that but wasn't sure what the OP meant with a "good job". Looking at the examples between Basic, Intermediate and Proficient, Proficient seems pretty

I noticed that but wasn't sure what the OP meant with a "good job". Looking at the examples between Basic, Intermediate and Proficient, Proficient seems pretty required for what I would consider a non-menial, well paying job. Basic skills include "locating easily identifiable quantitative information and using it to solve simple,one-step problems when the arithmetic operation is specified or easily inferred" and "reading and understanding information in simple documents". The examples are comparing ticket prices and using a TV guide to find out what time a show is on. Those are not skills I personally feel qualify you for a "good job", my definition of good job being defined as one where you work with your mind. However, basic literacy does not mean you cannot be a very skilled tradesman and know a craft extremely well. However, the majority of college graduates are intermediate or proficient. Will they all become lawyers or programmers? No. Are they functionally literate and can they perform in a workplace? Most likely, yes.