I don't know what the going rate is in New York. Here, in CA, a lot of sewer tecs ( we call them "drain cleaners" here), are paid on a commission scale - about 25-30% of total invoice.

On an hourly scale, I've rarely heard of a drain cleaner making more than $12-13/hour.

You would maybe want to learn more about plumbing repair - that way you could make more money.

Regards,
Mark