diff --git a/cpp/CMakeLists.txt b/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
index a77ed39eac81..4c44db6983a7 100644
--- a/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ set(ARROW_GDB_DIR "${CMAKE_INSTALL_DATADIR}/${PROJECT_NAME}/gdb")
 set(ARROW_FULL_GDB_DIR "${CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_DATADIR}/${PROJECT_NAME}/gdb")
 set(ARROW_GDB_AUTO_LOAD_DIR "${CMAKE_INSTALL_DATADIR}/gdb/auto-load")
 set(ARROW_CMAKE_DIR "${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR}/cmake")
-set(ARROW_DOC_DIR "share/doc/${PROJECT_NAME}")
+set(ARROW_DOC_DIR "${CMAKE_INSTALL_DOCDIR}")
 
 set(BUILD_SUPPORT_DIR "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/build-support")