With the rapid development of information technology, the digital transformation of China’s manufacturing industry has become a core driving force. This study aimed to measure the efficiency of the digital transformation of China’s manufacturing industry and analyze its driving factors and spatial distribution characteristics to provide a scientific basis for revealing efficiency differences in the transformation process and identifying the key factors for successful transformation. This study adopts data envelopment analysis (DEA) and the spatial Durbin model (SDM) to systematically analyze the efficiency of digital transformation based on national statistics, enterprise annual reports, and industry reports from 2015 to 2022. The results show that the average value of digital transformation efficiency in China’s manufacturing industry is 0.685, with significant differences between regions; the highest efficiency is in the east (0.812), and the lowest is in the west (0.521). Analysis of the driving factors shows that technological innovation, policy support, market demand, and corporate culture have significant impacts on efficiency, with spatial effects and regional synergies being particularly important. This study provides targeted recommendations for policy formulation and corporate strategy, emphasizing the critical importance of regional synergy and technological spillovers.