diff --git a/ci/scripts/java_jni_build.sh b/ci/scripts/java_jni_build.sh
index 9c3f031b61d06..cbb754b3e4822 100755
--- a/ci/scripts/java_jni_build.sh
+++ b/ci/scripts/java_jni_build.sh
@@ -24,19 +24,6 @@ arrow_install_dir=${2}
 build_dir=${3}/java_jni
 # The directory where the final binaries will be stored when scripts finish
 dist_dir=${4}
-normalized_arch=$(arch)
-case ${normalized_arch} in
-  aarch64)
-    normalized_arch=aarch_64
-    ;;
-  i386)
-    normalized_arch=x86_64
-    ;;
-  arm64)
-    normalized_arch=aarch_64
-    ;;
-  esac
-
 prefix_dir="${build_dir}/java-jni"
 
 echo "=== Clear output directories and leftovers ==="
@@ -68,8 +55,7 @@ cmake \
   -DBUILD_TESTING=${ARROW_JAVA_BUILD_TESTS} \
   -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE} \
   -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=${arrow_install_dir} \
-  -DARROW_JAVA_JNI_ARCH_DIR=${normalized_arch} \
-  -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=${prefix_dir} \
+\  -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=${prefix_dir} \
   -DCMAKE_UNITY_BUILD=${CMAKE_UNITY_BUILD:-OFF} \
   -DProtobuf_USE_STATIC_LIBS=ON \
   -GNinja \
diff --git a/java/CMakeLists.txt b/java/CMakeLists.txt
index 04fa51ff98ca0..e4c4dfd95fb00 100644
--- a/java/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/java/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -74,6 +74,20 @@ if(BUILD_TESTING)
                                                   GTest::gtest_main)
 endif()
 
+# If the user hasn't set ARROW_JAVA_JNI_ARCH_DIR, derive the normalized
+# operating system from the host processor.
+if("${ARROW_JAVA_JNI_ARCH_DIR}" STREQUAL "")
+  if("${CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR}" STREQUAL "aarch64")
+    set(ARROW_JAVA_JNI_ARCH_DIR "aarch_64")
+  elseif("${CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR}" STREQUAL "i386")
+    set(ARROW_JAVA_JNI_ARCH_DIR "x86_64")
+  elseif("${CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR}" STREQUAL "arm64")
+    set(ARROW_JAVA_JNI_ARCH_DIR "aarch_64")
+  else()
+    set(ARROW_JAVA_JNI_ARCH_DIR "${CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR}")
+  endif()
+endif()
+
 if(ARROW_JAVA_JNI_ENABLE_C)
   add_subdirectory(c)
 endif()
diff --git a/java/c/CMakeLists.txt b/java/c/CMakeLists.txt
index 8e307672d0e1d..83909c5e13e1b 100644
--- a/java/c/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/java/c/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@ add_library(arrow_java_jni_cdata SHARED src/main/cpp/jni_wrapper.cc)
 set_property(TARGET arrow_java_jni_cdata PROPERTY OUTPUT_NAME "arrow_cdata_jni")
 target_link_libraries(arrow_java_jni_cdata arrow_java_jni_cdata_headers jni)
 
-set(ARROW_JAVA_JNI_CDATA_LIBDIR
+set(ARROW_JAVA_JNI_C_LIBDIR
     "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/lib/arrow_cdata_jni/${ARROW_JAVA_JNI_ARCH_DIR}")
-set(ARROW_JAVA_JNI_CDATA_BINDIR
+set(ARROW_JAVA_JNI_C_BINDIR
     "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/bin/arrow_cdata_jni/${ARROW_JAVA_JNI_ARCH_DIR}")
 
 install(TARGETS arrow_java_jni_cdata
-        LIBRARY DESTINATION ${ARROW_JAVA_JNI_CDATA_LIBDIR}
-        RUNTIME DESTINATION ${ARROW_JAVA_JNI_CDATA_BINDIR})
+        LIBRARY DESTINATION ${ARROW_JAVA_JNI_C_LIBDIR}
+        RUNTIME DESTINATION ${ARROW_JAVA_JNI_C_BINDIR})