diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/util/rle_encoding_internal.h b/cpp/src/arrow/util/rle_encoding_internal.h
index 2c084e0b4c8..59eef304edc 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/util/rle_encoding_internal.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/util/rle_encoding_internal.h
@@ -308,6 +308,20 @@ class RleRunDecoder {
     return to_read;
   }
 
+  /// Get a batch of values and count how many equal match_value.
+  /// For RLE runs, counting is O(1) because all values in the run are identical.
+  [[nodiscard]] rle_size_t GetBatchWithCount(value_type* out, rle_size_t batch_size,
+                                             rle_size_t value_bit_width,
+                                             value_type match_value, int64_t* out_count) {
+    // Save value_ before GetBatch since it doesn't change during the call.
+    const auto current_value = value_;
+    const auto to_read = GetBatch(out, batch_size, value_bit_width);
+    if (current_value == match_value) {
+      *out_count += to_read;
+    }
+    return to_read;
+  }
+
  private:
   value_type value_ = {};
   rle_size_t remaining_count_ = 0;
@@ -377,6 +391,19 @@ class BitPackedRunDecoder {
     return steps;
   }
 
+  /// Get a batch of values and count how many equal match_value
+  /// Note: For bit-packed runs, we use std::count after GetBatch since it's
+  /// highly optimized by the compiler. The fused approach is only beneficial
+  /// for RLE runs where counting is O(1).
+  [[nodiscard]] rle_size_t GetBatchWithCount(value_type* out, rle_size_t batch_size,
+                                             rle_size_t value_bit_width,
+                                             value_type match_value, int64_t* out_count) {
+    const auto steps = GetBatch(out, batch_size, value_bit_width);
+    // std::count is highly optimized (SIMD) by modern compilers
+    *out_count += std::count(out, out + steps, match_value);
+    return steps;
+  }
+
  private:
   /// The pointer to the beginning of the run
   const uint8_t* data_ = nullptr;
@@ -438,6 +465,10 @@ class RleBitPackedDecoder {
   /// left or if an error occurred.
   [[nodiscard]] rle_size_t GetBatch(value_type* out, rle_size_t batch_size);
 
+  /// Get a batch of values and count how many equal match_value
+  [[nodiscard]] rle_size_t GetBatchWithCount(value_type* out, rle_size_t batch_size,
+                                             value_type match_value, int64_t* out_count);
+
   /// Like GetBatch but add spacing for null entries.
   ///
   /// Null entries will be set to an arbistrary value to avoid leaking private data.
@@ -483,6 +514,18 @@ class RleBitPackedDecoder {
         decoder_);
   }
 
+  /// Get a batch of values from the current run and return the number elements read.
+  [[nodiscard]] rle_size_t RunGetBatchWithCount(value_type* out, rle_size_t batch_size,
+                                                value_type match_value,
+                                                int64_t* out_count) {
+    return std::visit(
+        [&](auto& dec) {
+          return dec.GetBatchWithCount(out, batch_size, value_bit_width_, match_value,
+                                       out_count);
+        },
+        decoder_);
+  }
+
   /// Call the parser with a single callable for all event types.
   template <typename Callable>
   void ParseWithCallable(Callable&& func);
@@ -1474,4 +1517,49 @@ inline void RleBitPackedEncoder::Clear() {
   bit_writer_.Clear();
 }
 
+template <typename T>
+auto RleBitPackedDecoder<T>::GetBatchWithCount(value_type* out, rle_size_t batch_size,
+                                               value_type match_value, int64_t* out_count)
+    -> rle_size_t {
+  using ControlFlow = RleBitPackedParser::ControlFlow;
+
+  rle_size_t values_read = 0;
+
+  // Remaining from a previous call that would have left some unread data from a run.
+  if (ARROW_PREDICT_FALSE(run_remaining() > 0)) {
+    const auto read = RunGetBatchWithCount(out, batch_size, match_value, out_count);
+    values_read += read;
+    out += read;
+
+    // Either we fulfilled all the batch to be read or we finished remaining run.
+    if (ARROW_PREDICT_FALSE(values_read == batch_size)) {
+      return values_read;
+    }
+    ARROW_DCHECK(run_remaining() == 0);
+  }
+
+  ParseWithCallable([&](auto run) {
+    using RunDecoder = typename decltype(run)::template DecoderType<value_type>;
+
+    ARROW_DCHECK_LT(values_read, batch_size);
+    RunDecoder decoder(run, value_bit_width_);
+    const auto read =
+        decoder.GetBatchWithCount(out, batch_size - values_read, value_bit_width_,
+                                  match_value, out_count);
+    ARROW_DCHECK_LE(read, batch_size - values_read);
+    values_read += read;
+    out += read;
+
+    // Stop reading and store remaining decoder
+    if (ARROW_PREDICT_FALSE(values_read == batch_size || read == 0)) {
+      decoder_ = std::move(decoder);
+      return ControlFlow::Break;
+    }
+
+    return ControlFlow::Continue;
+  });
+
+  return values_read;
+}
+
 }  // namespace arrow::util
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/util/rle_encoding_test.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/util/rle_encoding_test.cc
index b2d4f7df6f1..327ccfea281 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/util/rle_encoding_test.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/util/rle_encoding_test.cc
@@ -1280,4 +1280,48 @@ TEST(RleBitPacked, GetBatchSpacedRoundtripUint64) {
   DoTestGetBatchSpacedRoundtrip<uint64_t>();
 }
 
+TEST(Rle, GetBatchWithCount) {
+  const int bit_width = 1;
+  uint8_t buffer[100];
+  RleBitPackedEncoder encoder(buffer, sizeof(buffer), bit_width);
+
+  // 30 1s
+  for (int i = 0; i < 30; ++i) {
+    bool result = encoder.Put(1);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(result);
+  }
+  // 20 0s
+  for (int i = 0; i < 20; ++i) {
+    bool result = encoder.Put(0);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(result);
+  }
+  // 10 1s
+  for (int i = 0; i < 10; ++i) {
+    bool result = encoder.Put(1);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(result);
+  }
+  encoder.Flush();
+
+  RleBitPackedDecoder<int> decoder(buffer, sizeof(buffer), bit_width);
+  std::vector<int> values(60);
+  int64_t count = 0;
+
+  // Read first 40 values. Should be 30 1s and 10 0s.
+  // Count 1s.
+  int read = decoder.GetBatchWithCount(values.data(), 40, 1, &count);
+  EXPECT_EQ(read, 40);
+  EXPECT_EQ(count, 30);
+  for (int i = 0; i < 30; ++i) EXPECT_EQ(values[i], 1);
+  for (int i = 30; i < 40; ++i) EXPECT_EQ(values[i], 0);
+
+  // Read next 20 values. Should be 10 0s and 10 1s.
+  // Count 1s.
+  count = 0;
+  read = decoder.GetBatchWithCount(values.data(), 20, 1, &count);
+  EXPECT_EQ(read, 20);
+  EXPECT_EQ(count, 10);
+  for (int i = 0; i < 10; ++i) EXPECT_EQ(values[i], 0);
+  for (int i = 10; i < 20; ++i) EXPECT_EQ(values[i], 1);
+}
+
 }  // namespace arrow::util
diff --git a/cpp/src/parquet/column_reader.cc b/cpp/src/parquet/column_reader.cc
index 79b837f755c..2480ab6069f 100644
--- a/cpp/src/parquet/column_reader.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/parquet/column_reader.cc
@@ -191,6 +191,30 @@ int LevelDecoder::Decode(int batch_size, int16_t* levels) {
   return num_decoded;
 }
 
+int LevelDecoder::DecodeAndCount(int batch_size, int16_t* levels, int64_t* count) {
+  int num_decoded = 0;
+
+  int num_values = std::min(num_values_remaining_, batch_size);
+  if (encoding_ == Encoding::RLE) {
+    num_decoded =
+        rle_decoder_->GetBatchWithCount(levels, num_values, max_level_, count);
+  } else {
+    num_decoded = bit_packed_decoder_->GetBatch(bit_width_, levels, num_values);
+    *count += std::count(levels, levels + num_decoded, max_level_);
+  }
+  if (num_decoded > 0) {
+    internal::MinMax min_max = internal::FindMinMax(levels, num_decoded);
+    if (ARROW_PREDICT_FALSE(min_max.min < 0 || min_max.max > max_level_)) {
+      std::stringstream ss;
+      ss << "Malformed levels. min: " << min_max.min << " max: " << min_max.max
+         << " out of range.  Max Level: " << max_level_;
+      throw ParquetException(ss.str());
+    }
+  }
+  num_values_remaining_ -= num_decoded;
+  return num_decoded;
+}
+
 ReaderProperties default_reader_properties() {
   static ReaderProperties default_reader_properties;
   return default_reader_properties;
@@ -1006,14 +1030,11 @@ class TypedColumnReaderImpl : public TypedColumnReader<DType>,
 
     // If the field is required and non-repeated, there are no definition levels
     if (this->max_def_level_ > 0 && def_levels != nullptr) {
-      *num_def_levels = this->ReadDefinitionLevels(batch_size, def_levels);
-      if (ARROW_PREDICT_FALSE(*num_def_levels != batch_size)) {
+      if (ARROW_PREDICT_FALSE(this->definition_level_decoder_.DecodeAndCount(
+              batch_size, def_levels, non_null_values_to_read) != batch_size)) {
         throw ParquetException(kErrorRepDefLevelNotMatchesNumValues);
       }
-      // TODO(wesm): this tallying of values-to-decode can be performed with better
-      // cache-efficiency if fused with the level decoding.
-      *non_null_values_to_read +=
-          std::count(def_levels, def_levels + *num_def_levels, this->max_def_level_);
+      *num_def_levels = batch_size;
     } else {
       // Required field, read all values
       if (num_def_levels != nullptr) {
diff --git a/cpp/src/parquet/column_reader.h b/cpp/src/parquet/column_reader.h
index ac4469b1904..0a9ac49ec60 100644
--- a/cpp/src/parquet/column_reader.h
+++ b/cpp/src/parquet/column_reader.h
@@ -92,6 +92,10 @@ class PARQUET_EXPORT LevelDecoder {
   // Decodes a batch of levels into an array and returns the number of levels decoded
   int Decode(int batch_size, int16_t* levels);
 
+  /// Decodes a batch of levels into an array and counts the number of levels equal to
+  /// max_level_
+  int DecodeAndCount(int batch_size, int16_t* levels, int64_t* count);
+
  private:
   int bit_width_;
   int num_values_remaining_;
diff --git a/cpp/src/parquet/column_reader_benchmark.cc b/cpp/src/parquet/column_reader_benchmark.cc
index 83f661bf9ad..50f7a910636 100644
--- a/cpp/src/parquet/column_reader_benchmark.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/parquet/column_reader_benchmark.cc
@@ -336,6 +336,77 @@ static void DecodeLevels(Encoding::type level_encoding, int16_t max_level, int n
   state.SetItemsProcessed(state.iterations() * num_levels);
 }
 
+// Benchmark that simulates the old approach: Decode + separate count
+static void DecodeLevelsAndCountSeparate(Encoding::type level_encoding, int16_t max_level,
+                                         int num_levels, int batch_size,
+                                         int level_repeat_count,
+                                         ::benchmark::State& state) {
+  std::vector<uint8_t> bytes;
+  {
+    std::vector<int16_t> input_levels;
+    GenerateLevels(/*level_repeats=*/level_repeat_count, /*max_repeat_factor=*/max_level,
+                   num_levels, &input_levels);
+    EncodeLevels(level_encoding, max_level, num_levels, input_levels.data(), &bytes);
+  }
+
+  LevelDecoder decoder;
+  std::vector<int16_t> output_levels(batch_size);
+  for (auto _ : state) {
+    state.PauseTiming();
+    decoder.SetData(level_encoding, max_level, num_levels, bytes.data(),
+                    static_cast<int>(bytes.size()));
+    int64_t total_count = 0;
+    state.ResumeTiming();
+    // Decode + count separately (old approach)
+    while (true) {
+      int levels_decoded = decoder.Decode(batch_size, output_levels.data());
+      if (levels_decoded == 0) {
+        break;
+      }
+      // Separate count pass (simulating the old approach)
+      total_count +=
+          std::count(output_levels.data(), output_levels.data() + levels_decoded, max_level);
+    }
+    DoNotOptimize(total_count);
+  }
+  state.SetBytesProcessed(state.iterations() * num_levels * sizeof(int16_t));
+  state.SetItemsProcessed(state.iterations() * num_levels);
+}
+
+// Benchmark that uses the new fused DecodeAndCount approach
+static void DecodeLevelsAndCountFused(Encoding::type level_encoding, int16_t max_level,
+                                      int num_levels, int batch_size,
+                                      int level_repeat_count, ::benchmark::State& state) {
+  std::vector<uint8_t> bytes;
+  {
+    std::vector<int16_t> input_levels;
+    GenerateLevels(/*level_repeats=*/level_repeat_count, /*max_repeat_factor=*/max_level,
+                   num_levels, &input_levels);
+    EncodeLevels(level_encoding, max_level, num_levels, input_levels.data(), &bytes);
+  }
+
+  LevelDecoder decoder;
+  std::vector<int16_t> output_levels(batch_size);
+  for (auto _ : state) {
+    state.PauseTiming();
+    decoder.SetData(level_encoding, max_level, num_levels, bytes.data(),
+                    static_cast<int>(bytes.size()));
+    int64_t total_count = 0;
+    state.ResumeTiming();
+    // Fused decode + count (new approach)
+    while (true) {
+      int levels_decoded =
+          decoder.DecodeAndCount(batch_size, output_levels.data(), &total_count);
+      if (levels_decoded == 0) {
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+    DoNotOptimize(total_count);
+  }
+  state.SetBytesProcessed(state.iterations() * num_levels * sizeof(int16_t));
+  state.SetItemsProcessed(state.iterations() * num_levels);
+}
+
 static void ReadLevels_Rle(::benchmark::State& state) {
   int16_t max_level = static_cast<int16_t>(state.range(0));
   int num_levels = static_cast<int>(state.range(1));
@@ -354,6 +425,26 @@ static void ReadLevels_BitPack(::benchmark::State& state) {
                level_repeat_count, state);
 }
 
+// Benchmark: Decode + Count separately (old approach)
+static void ReadLevels_RleCountSeparate(::benchmark::State& state) {
+  int16_t max_level = static_cast<int16_t>(state.range(0));
+  int num_levels = static_cast<int>(state.range(1));
+  int batch_size = static_cast<int>(state.range(2));
+  int level_repeat_count = static_cast<int>(state.range(3));
+  DecodeLevelsAndCountSeparate(Encoding::RLE, max_level, num_levels, batch_size,
+                               level_repeat_count, state);
+}
+
+// Benchmark: Fused DecodeAndCount (new approach)
+static void ReadLevels_RleCountFused(::benchmark::State& state) {
+  int16_t max_level = static_cast<int16_t>(state.range(0));
+  int num_levels = static_cast<int>(state.range(1));
+  int batch_size = static_cast<int>(state.range(2));
+  int level_repeat_count = static_cast<int>(state.range(3));
+  DecodeLevelsAndCountFused(Encoding::RLE, max_level, num_levels, batch_size,
+                            level_repeat_count, state);
+}
+
 static void ReadLevelsArguments(::benchmark::internal::Benchmark* b) {
   b->ArgNames({"MaxLevel", "NumLevels", "BatchSize", "LevelRepeatCount"})
       ->Args({1, 8096, 1024, 1})
@@ -367,6 +458,8 @@ static void ReadLevelsArguments(::benchmark::internal::Benchmark* b) {
 
 BENCHMARK(ReadLevels_Rle)->Apply(ReadLevelsArguments);
 BENCHMARK(ReadLevels_BitPack)->Apply(ReadLevelsArguments);
+BENCHMARK(ReadLevels_RleCountSeparate)->Apply(ReadLevelsArguments);
+BENCHMARK(ReadLevels_RleCountFused)->Apply(ReadLevelsArguments);
 
 }  // namespace benchmarks
 }  // namespace parquet