diff --git a/datafusion-examples/examples/data_io/parquet_index.rs b/datafusion-examples/examples/data_io/parquet_index.rs
index e11a303f442a4..515dad7a51e17 100644
--- a/datafusion-examples/examples/data_io/parquet_index.rs
+++ b/datafusion-examples/examples/data_io/parquet_index.rs
@@ -462,7 +462,7 @@ impl PruningStatistics for ParquetMetadataIndex {
     }
 
     /// return the row counts for each file
-    fn row_counts(&self, _column: &Column) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
+    fn row_counts(&self) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
         Some(self.row_counts_ref().clone())
     }
 
diff --git a/datafusion-examples/examples/query_planning/pruning.rs b/datafusion-examples/examples/query_planning/pruning.rs
index 33f3f8428a77f..7fdc4a7952d68 100644
--- a/datafusion-examples/examples/query_planning/pruning.rs
+++ b/datafusion-examples/examples/query_planning/pruning.rs
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ impl PruningStatistics for MyCatalog {
         None
     }
 
-    fn row_counts(&self, _column: &Column) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
+    fn row_counts(&self) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
         // In this example, we know nothing about the number of rows in each file
         None
     }
diff --git a/datafusion/common/src/pruning.rs b/datafusion/common/src/pruning.rs
index 27148de59a544..ebae23f0723a1 100644
--- a/datafusion/common/src/pruning.rs
+++ b/datafusion/common/src/pruning.rs
@@ -95,15 +95,17 @@ pub trait PruningStatistics {
     /// [`UInt64Array`]: arrow::array::UInt64Array
     fn null_counts(&self, column: &Column) -> Option<ArrayRef>;
 
-    /// Return the number of rows for the named column in each container
-    /// as an [`UInt64Array`].
+    /// Return the number of rows in each container as an [`UInt64Array`].
+    ///
+    /// Row counts are container-level (not column-specific) — the value
+    /// is the same regardless of which column is being considered.
     ///
     /// See [`Self::min_values`] for when to return `None` and null values.
     ///
     /// Note: the returned array must contain [`Self::num_containers`] rows
     ///
     /// [`UInt64Array`]: arrow::array::UInt64Array
-    fn row_counts(&self, column: &Column) -> Option<ArrayRef>;
+    fn row_counts(&self) -> Option<ArrayRef>;
 
     /// Returns [`BooleanArray`] where each row represents information known
     /// about specific literal `values` in a column.
@@ -265,7 +267,7 @@ impl PruningStatistics for PartitionPruningStatistics {
         None
     }
 
-    fn row_counts(&self, _column: &Column) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
+    fn row_counts(&self) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
         None
     }
 
@@ -398,11 +400,7 @@ impl PruningStatistics for PrunableStatistics {
         }
     }
 
-    fn row_counts(&self, column: &Column) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
-        // If the column does not exist in the schema, return None
-        if self.schema.index_of(column.name()).is_err() {
-            return None;
-        }
+    fn row_counts(&self) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
         if self
             .statistics
             .iter()
@@ -502,9 +500,9 @@ impl PruningStatistics for CompositePruningStatistics {
         None
     }
 
-    fn row_counts(&self, column: &Column) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
+    fn row_counts(&self) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
         for stats in &self.statistics {
-            if let Some(array) = stats.row_counts(column) {
+            if let Some(array) = stats.row_counts() {
                 return Some(array);
             }
         }
@@ -566,9 +564,9 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Partition values don't know anything about nulls or row counts
         assert!(partition_stats.null_counts(&column_a).is_none());
-        assert!(partition_stats.row_counts(&column_a).is_none());
+        assert!(partition_stats.row_counts().is_none());
         assert!(partition_stats.null_counts(&column_b).is_none());
-        assert!(partition_stats.row_counts(&column_b).is_none());
+        assert!(partition_stats.row_counts().is_none());
 
         // Min/max values are the same as the partition values
         let min_values_a =
@@ -709,9 +707,9 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Partition values don't know anything about nulls or row counts
         assert!(partition_stats.null_counts(&column_a).is_none());
-        assert!(partition_stats.row_counts(&column_a).is_none());
+        assert!(partition_stats.row_counts().is_none());
         assert!(partition_stats.null_counts(&column_b).is_none());
-        assert!(partition_stats.row_counts(&column_b).is_none());
+        assert!(partition_stats.row_counts().is_none());
 
         // Min/max values are all missing
         assert!(partition_stats.min_values(&column_a).is_none());
@@ -814,13 +812,13 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(null_counts_b, expected_null_counts_b);
 
         // Row counts are the same as the statistics
-        let row_counts_a = as_uint64_array(&pruning_stats.row_counts(&column_a).unwrap())
+        let row_counts_a = as_uint64_array(&pruning_stats.row_counts().unwrap())
             .unwrap()
             .into_iter()
             .collect::<Vec<_>>();
         let expected_row_counts_a = vec![Some(100), Some(200)];
         assert_eq!(row_counts_a, expected_row_counts_a);
-        let row_counts_b = as_uint64_array(&pruning_stats.row_counts(&column_b).unwrap())
+        let row_counts_b = as_uint64_array(&pruning_stats.row_counts().unwrap())
             .unwrap()
             .into_iter()
             .collect::<Vec<_>>();
@@ -845,7 +843,7 @@ mod tests {
         // This is debatable, personally I think `row_count` should not take a `Column` as an argument
         // at all since all columns should have the same number of rows.
         // But for now we just document the current behavior in this test.
-        let row_counts_c = as_uint64_array(&pruning_stats.row_counts(&column_c).unwrap())
+        let row_counts_c = as_uint64_array(&pruning_stats.row_counts().unwrap())
             .unwrap()
             .into_iter()
             .collect::<Vec<_>>();
@@ -853,12 +851,13 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(row_counts_c, expected_row_counts_c);
         assert!(pruning_stats.contained(&column_c, &values).is_none());
 
-        // Test with a column that doesn't exist
+        // Test with a column that doesn't exist — column-specific stats
+        // return None, but row_counts is container-level and still available
         let column_d = Column::new_unqualified("d");
         assert!(pruning_stats.min_values(&column_d).is_none());
         assert!(pruning_stats.max_values(&column_d).is_none());
         assert!(pruning_stats.null_counts(&column_d).is_none());
-        assert!(pruning_stats.row_counts(&column_d).is_none());
+        assert!(pruning_stats.row_counts().is_some());
         assert!(pruning_stats.contained(&column_d, &values).is_none());
     }
 
@@ -886,8 +885,8 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(pruning_stats.null_counts(&column_b).is_none());
 
         // Row counts are all missing
-        assert!(pruning_stats.row_counts(&column_a).is_none());
-        assert!(pruning_stats.row_counts(&column_b).is_none());
+        assert!(pruning_stats.row_counts().is_none());
+        assert!(pruning_stats.row_counts().is_none());
 
         // Contained values are all empty
         let values = HashSet::from([ScalarValue::from(1i32)]);
@@ -1027,13 +1026,11 @@ mod tests {
         let expected_null_counts_col_x = vec![Some(0), Some(10)];
         assert_eq!(null_counts_col_x, expected_null_counts_col_x);
 
-        // Test row counts - only available from file statistics
-        assert!(composite_stats.row_counts(&part_a).is_none());
-        let row_counts_col_x =
-            as_uint64_array(&composite_stats.row_counts(&col_x).unwrap())
-                .unwrap()
-                .into_iter()
-                .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+        // Test row counts — container-level, available from file statistics
+        let row_counts_col_x = as_uint64_array(&composite_stats.row_counts().unwrap())
+            .unwrap()
+            .into_iter()
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>();
         let expected_row_counts = vec![Some(100), Some(200)];
         assert_eq!(row_counts_col_x, expected_row_counts);
 
@@ -1046,12 +1043,13 @@ mod tests {
         // File statistics don't implement contained
         assert!(composite_stats.contained(&col_x, &values).is_none());
 
-        // Non-existent column should return None for everything
+        // Non-existent column should return None for column-specific stats,
+        // but row_counts is container-level and still available
         let non_existent = Column::new_unqualified("non_existent");
         assert!(composite_stats.min_values(&non_existent).is_none());
         assert!(composite_stats.max_values(&non_existent).is_none());
         assert!(composite_stats.null_counts(&non_existent).is_none());
-        assert!(composite_stats.row_counts(&non_existent).is_none());
+        assert!(composite_stats.row_counts().is_some());
         assert!(composite_stats.contained(&non_existent, &values).is_none());
 
         // Verify num_containers matches
@@ -1155,7 +1153,7 @@ mod tests {
         let expected_null_counts = vec![Some(0), Some(5)];
         assert_eq!(null_counts, expected_null_counts);
 
-        let row_counts = as_uint64_array(&composite_stats.row_counts(&col_a).unwrap())
+        let row_counts = as_uint64_array(&composite_stats.row_counts().unwrap())
             .unwrap()
             .into_iter()
             .collect::<Vec<_>>();
@@ -1195,11 +1193,10 @@ mod tests {
         let expected_null_counts = vec![Some(10), Some(20)];
         assert_eq!(null_counts, expected_null_counts);
 
-        let row_counts =
-            as_uint64_array(&composite_stats_reversed.row_counts(&col_a).unwrap())
-                .unwrap()
-                .into_iter()
-                .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+        let row_counts = as_uint64_array(&composite_stats_reversed.row_counts().unwrap())
+            .unwrap()
+            .into_iter()
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>();
         let expected_row_counts = vec![Some(1000), Some(2000)];
         assert_eq!(row_counts, expected_row_counts);
     }
diff --git a/datafusion/datasource-parquet/src/page_filter.rs b/datafusion/datasource-parquet/src/page_filter.rs
index 194e6e94fba3a..baef36ce147d4 100644
--- a/datafusion/datasource-parquet/src/page_filter.rs
+++ b/datafusion/datasource-parquet/src/page_filter.rs
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ impl PruningStatistics for PagesPruningStatistics<'_> {
         }
     }
 
-    fn row_counts(&self, _column: &datafusion_common::Column) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
+    fn row_counts(&self) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
         match self.converter.data_page_row_counts(
             self.offset_index,
             self.row_group_metadatas,
diff --git a/datafusion/datasource-parquet/src/row_group_filter.rs b/datafusion/datasource-parquet/src/row_group_filter.rs
index 7a2ed8f2777e3..3f254c9f55282 100644
--- a/datafusion/datasource-parquet/src/row_group_filter.rs
+++ b/datafusion/datasource-parquet/src/row_group_filter.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use super::{ParquetAccessPlan, ParquetFileMetrics};
-use arrow::array::{ArrayRef, BooleanArray};
+use arrow::array::{ArrayRef, BooleanArray, UInt64Array};
 use arrow::datatypes::Schema;
 use datafusion_common::pruning::PruningStatistics;
 use datafusion_common::{Column, Result, ScalarValue};
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ impl PruningStatistics for BloomFilterStatistics {
         None
     }
 
-    fn row_counts(&self, _column: &Column) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
+    fn row_counts(&self) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
         None
     }
 
@@ -626,13 +626,13 @@ impl PruningStatistics for RowGroupPruningStatistics<'_> {
             .map(|counts| Arc::new(counts) as ArrayRef)
     }
 
-    fn row_counts(&self, column: &Column) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
-        // row counts are the same for all columns in a row group
-        self.statistics_converter(column)
-            .and_then(|c| Ok(c.row_group_row_counts(self.metadata_iter())?))
-            .ok()
-            .flatten()
-            .map(|counts| Arc::new(counts) as ArrayRef)
+    fn row_counts(&self) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
+        // Row counts are container-level — read directly from row group metadata.
+        let counts: UInt64Array = self
+            .metadata_iter()
+            .map(|rg| Some(rg.num_rows() as u64))
+            .collect();
+        Some(Arc::new(counts) as ArrayRef)
     }
 
     fn contained(
diff --git a/datafusion/pruning/src/pruning_predicate.rs b/datafusion/pruning/src/pruning_predicate.rs
index 978d79b1f2fb0..873e82a97303e 100644
--- a/datafusion/pruning/src/pruning_predicate.rs
+++ b/datafusion/pruning/src/pruning_predicate.rs
@@ -929,7 +929,7 @@ fn build_statistics_record_batch<S: PruningStatistics + ?Sized>(
             StatisticsType::Min => statistics.min_values(&column),
             StatisticsType::Max => statistics.max_values(&column),
             StatisticsType::NullCount => statistics.null_counts(&column),
-            StatisticsType::RowCount => statistics.row_counts(&column),
+            StatisticsType::RowCount => statistics.row_counts(),
         };
         let array = array.unwrap_or_else(|| new_null_array(data_type, num_containers));
 
@@ -2300,11 +2300,10 @@ mod tests {
                 .unwrap_or(None)
         }
 
-        fn row_counts(&self, column: &Column) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
+        fn row_counts(&self) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
             self.stats
-                .get(column)
-                .map(|container_stats| container_stats.row_counts())
-                .unwrap_or(None)
+                .values()
+                .find_map(|container_stats| container_stats.row_counts())
         }
 
         fn contained(
@@ -2342,7 +2341,7 @@ mod tests {
             None
         }
 
-        fn row_counts(&self, _column: &Column) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
+        fn row_counts(&self) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
             None
         }
 
diff --git a/docs/source/library-user-guide/upgrading/54.0.0.md b/docs/source/library-user-guide/upgrading/54.0.0.md
index 6dc08cc344e5f..4e6178345bcce 100644
--- a/docs/source/library-user-guide/upgrading/54.0.0.md
+++ b/docs/source/library-user-guide/upgrading/54.0.0.md
@@ -289,6 +289,41 @@ auto-derefs through the `Arc`).
 > always return `None`. Use the `downcast_ref` method above instead, or
 > dereference through the `Arc` first with `plan.as_ref() as &dyn Any`.
 
+### `PruningStatistics::row_counts` no longer takes a `column` parameter
+
+The `row_counts` method on the `PruningStatistics` trait no longer takes a
+`&Column` argument, since row counts are a container-level property (the same
+for every column).
+
+**Before:**
+
+```rust,ignore
+fn row_counts(&self, column: &Column) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
+    // ...
+}
+```
+
+**After:**
+
+```rust,ignore
+fn row_counts(&self) -> Option<ArrayRef> {
+    // ...
+}
+```
+
+**Who is affected:**
+
+- Users who implement the `PruningStatistics` trait
+
+**Migration guide:**
+
+Remove the `column: &Column` parameter from your `row_counts` implementation
+and any corresponding call sites. If your implementation was using the column
+argument, note that row counts are identical for all columns in a container, so
+the parameter was unnecessary.
+
+See [PR #21369](https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/21369) for details.
+
 ### Avro API and timestamp decoding changes
 
 DataFusion has switched to use `arrow-avro` (see [#17861]) when reading avro files