diff --git a/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/parquet/ParquetRowConverter.scala b/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/parquet/ParquetRowConverter.scala
index ff5c724375c3..d47f551b905e 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/parquet/ParquetRowConverter.scala
+++ b/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/parquet/ParquetRowConverter.scala
@@ -318,10 +318,34 @@ private[parquet] class ParquetRowConverter(
         new ParquetMapConverter(parquetType.asGroupType(), t, updater)
 
       case t: StructType =>
+        val wrappedUpdater = {
+          // SPARK-30338: avoid unnecessary InternalRow copying for nested structs:
+          // There are two cases to handle here:
+          //
+          //  1. Parent container is a map or array: we must make a deep copy of the mutable row
+          //     because this converter may be invoked multiple times per Parquet input record
+          //     (if the map or array contains multiple elements).
+          //
+          //  2. Parent container is a struct: we don't need to copy the row here because either:
+          //
+          //     (a) all ancestors are structs and therefore no copying is required because this
+          //         converter will only be invoked once per Parquet input record, or
+          //     (b) some ancestor is struct that is nested in a map or array and that ancestor's
+          //         converter will perform deep-copying (which will recursively copy this row).
+          if (updater.isInstanceOf[RowUpdater]) {
+            // `updater` is a RowUpdater, implying that the parent container is a struct.
+            updater
+          } else {
+            // `updater` is NOT a RowUpdater, implying that the parent container a map or array.
+            new ParentContainerUpdater {
+              override def set(value: Any): Unit = {
+                updater.set(value.asInstanceOf[SpecificInternalRow].copy())  // deep copy
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
         new ParquetRowConverter(
-          schemaConverter, parquetType.asGroupType(), t, convertTz, new ParentContainerUpdater {
-            override def set(value: Any): Unit = updater.set(value.asInstanceOf[InternalRow].copy())
-          })
+          schemaConverter, parquetType.asGroupType(), t, convertTz, wrappedUpdater)
 
       case t =>
         throw new RuntimeException(
diff --git a/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/parquet/ParquetIOSuite.scala b/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/parquet/ParquetIOSuite.scala
index 39590b063f0a..1550b3bbb624 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/parquet/ParquetIOSuite.scala
+++ b/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/parquet/ParquetIOSuite.scala
@@ -204,6 +204,42 @@ class ParquetIOSuite extends QueryTest with ParquetTest with SharedSparkSession
     }
   }
 
+  testStandardAndLegacyModes("array of struct") {
+    val data = (1 to 4).map { i =>
+      Tuple1(
+        Seq(
+          Tuple1(s"1st_val_$i"),
+          Tuple1(s"2nd_val_$i")
+        )
+      )
+    }
+    withParquetDataFrame(data) { df =>
+      // Structs are converted to `Row`s
+      checkAnswer(df, data.map { case Tuple1(array) =>
+        Row(array.map(struct => Row(struct.productIterator.toSeq: _*)))
+      })
+    }
+  }
+
+  testStandardAndLegacyModes("array of nested struct") {
+    val data = (1 to 4).map { i =>
+      Tuple1(
+        Seq(
+          Tuple1(
+            Tuple1(s"1st_val_$i")),
+          Tuple1(
+            Tuple1(s"2nd_val_$i"))
+        )
+      )
+    }
+    withParquetDataFrame(data) { df =>
+      // Structs are converted to `Row`s
+      checkAnswer(df, data.map { case Tuple1(array) =>
+        Row(array.map { case Tuple1(Tuple1(str)) => Row(Row(str))})
+      })
+    }
+  }
+
   testStandardAndLegacyModes("nested struct with array of array as field") {
     val data = (1 to 4).map(i => Tuple1((i, Seq(Seq(s"val_$i")))))
     withParquetDataFrame(data) { df =>
@@ -214,9 +250,34 @@ class ParquetIOSuite extends QueryTest with ParquetTest with SharedSparkSession
     }
   }
 
+  testStandardAndLegacyModes("nested map with struct as key type") {
+    val data = (1 to 4).map { i =>
+      Tuple1(
+        Map(
+          (i, s"kA_$i") -> s"vA_$i",
+          (i, s"kB_$i") -> s"vB_$i"
+        )
+      )
+    }
+    withParquetDataFrame(data) { df =>
+      // Structs are converted to `Row`s
+      checkAnswer(df, data.map { case Tuple1(m) =>
+        Row(m.map { case (k, v) => Row(k.productIterator.toSeq: _*) -> v })
+      })
+    }
+  }
+
   testStandardAndLegacyModes("nested map with struct as value type") {
-    val data = (1 to 4).map(i => Tuple1(Map(i -> ((i, s"val_$i")))))
+    val data = (1 to 4).map { i =>
+      Tuple1(
+        Map(
+          s"kA_$i" -> ((i, s"vA_$i")),
+          s"kB_$i" -> ((i, s"vB_$i"))
+        )
+      )
+    }
     withParquetDataFrame(data) { df =>
+      // Structs are converted to `Row`s
       checkAnswer(df, data.map { case Tuple1(m) =>
         Row(m.mapValues(struct => Row(struct.productIterator.toSeq: _*)))
       })