diff --git a/cpp/src/io/parquet/reader_impl_preprocess.cu b/cpp/src/io/parquet/reader_impl_preprocess.cu
index e5c2b7aa842..72641adb402 100644
--- a/cpp/src/io/parquet/reader_impl_preprocess.cu
+++ b/cpp/src/io/parquet/reader_impl_preprocess.cu
@@ -1215,24 +1215,60 @@ struct get_page_schema {
   __device__ size_type operator()(gpu::PageInfo const& page) { return page.src_col_schema; }
 };
 
+struct input_col_info {
+  int const schema_idx;
+  size_type const nesting_depth;
+};
+
+/**
+ * @brief Converts a 1-dimensional index into page, depth and column indices used in
+ * allocate_columns to compute columns sizes.
+ *
+ * The input index will iterate through pages, nesting depth and column indices in that order.
+ */
+struct reduction_indices {
+  size_t const page_idx;
+  size_type const depth_idx;
+  size_type const col_idx;
+
+  __device__ reduction_indices(size_t index_, size_type max_depth_, size_t num_pages_)
+    : page_idx(index_ % num_pages_),
+      depth_idx((index_ / num_pages_) % max_depth_),
+      col_idx(index_ / (max_depth_ * num_pages_))
+  {
+  }
+};
+
 /**
  * @brief Returns the size field of a PageInfo struct for a given depth, keyed by schema.
  */
 struct get_page_nesting_size {
-  size_type const src_col_schema;
-  size_type const depth;
+  input_col_info const* const input_cols;
+  size_type const max_depth;
+  size_t const num_pages;
   gpu::PageInfo const* const pages;
+  int const* page_indices;
 
-  __device__ size_type operator()(int index) const
+  __device__ size_type operator()(size_t index) const
   {
-    auto const& page = pages[index];
-    if (page.src_col_schema != src_col_schema || page.flags & gpu::PAGEINFO_FLAGS_DICTIONARY) {
+    auto const indices = reduction_indices{index, max_depth, num_pages};
+
+    auto const& page = pages[page_indices[indices.page_idx]];
+    if (page.src_col_schema != input_cols[indices.col_idx].schema_idx ||
+        page.flags & gpu::PAGEINFO_FLAGS_DICTIONARY ||
+        indices.depth_idx >= input_cols[indices.col_idx].nesting_depth) {
       return 0;
     }
-    return page.nesting[depth].batch_size;
+
+    return page.nesting[indices.depth_idx].batch_size;
   }
 };
 
+struct get_reduction_key {
+  size_t const num_pages;
+  __device__ size_t operator()(size_t index) const { return index / num_pages; }
+};
+
 /**
  * @brief Writes to the chunk_row field of the PageInfo struct.
  */
@@ -1259,11 +1295,12 @@ struct chunk_row_output_iter {
  * @brief Writes to the page_start_value field of the PageNestingInfo struct, keyed by schema.
  */
 struct start_offset_output_iterator {
-  gpu::PageInfo* pages;
+  gpu::PageInfo const* pages;
   int const* page_indices;
-  int cur_index;
-  int src_col_schema;
-  int nesting_depth;
+  size_t cur_index;
+  input_col_info const* input_cols;
+  size_type max_depth;
+  size_t num_pages;
   int empty               = 0;
   using value_type        = size_type;
   using difference_type   = size_type;
@@ -1273,32 +1310,37 @@ struct start_offset_output_iterator {
 
   constexpr void operator=(start_offset_output_iterator const& other)
   {
-    pages          = other.pages;
-    page_indices   = other.page_indices;
-    cur_index      = other.cur_index;
-    src_col_schema = other.src_col_schema;
-    nesting_depth  = other.nesting_depth;
+    pages        = other.pages;
+    page_indices = other.page_indices;
+    cur_index    = other.cur_index;
+    input_cols   = other.input_cols;
+    max_depth    = other.max_depth;
+    num_pages    = other.num_pages;
   }
 
-  constexpr start_offset_output_iterator operator+(int i)
+  constexpr start_offset_output_iterator operator+(size_t i)
   {
     return start_offset_output_iterator{
-      pages, page_indices, cur_index + i, src_col_schema, nesting_depth};
+      pages, page_indices, cur_index + i, input_cols, max_depth, num_pages};
   }
 
   constexpr void operator++() { cur_index++; }
 
-  __device__ reference operator[](int i) { return dereference(cur_index + i); }
+  __device__ reference operator[](size_t i) { return dereference(cur_index + i); }
   __device__ reference operator*() { return dereference(cur_index); }
 
  private:
-  __device__ reference dereference(int index)
+  __device__ reference dereference(size_t index)
   {
-    gpu::PageInfo const& p = pages[page_indices[index]];
-    if (p.src_col_schema != src_col_schema || p.flags & gpu::PAGEINFO_FLAGS_DICTIONARY) {
+    auto const indices = reduction_indices{index, max_depth, num_pages};
+
+    gpu::PageInfo const& p = pages[page_indices[indices.page_idx]];
+    if (p.src_col_schema != input_cols[indices.col_idx].schema_idx ||
+        p.flags & gpu::PAGEINFO_FLAGS_DICTIONARY ||
+        indices.depth_idx >= input_cols[indices.col_idx].nesting_depth) {
       return empty;
     }
-    return p.nesting_decode[nesting_depth].page_start_value;
+    return p.nesting_decode[indices.depth_idx].page_start_value;
   }
 };
 
@@ -1620,31 +1662,72 @@ void reader::impl::allocate_columns(size_t skip_rows, size_t num_rows, bool uses
 
   // compute output column sizes by examining the pages of the -input- columns
   if (has_lists) {
-    auto& page_keys  = _chunk_itm_data.page_keys;
     auto& page_index = _chunk_itm_data.page_index;
-    for (size_t idx = 0; idx < _input_columns.size(); idx++) {
-      auto const& input_col = _input_columns[idx];
-      auto src_col_schema   = input_col.schema_idx;
-      size_t max_depth      = input_col.nesting_depth();
 
-      auto* cols = &_output_buffers;
-      for (size_t l_idx = 0; l_idx < input_col.nesting_depth(); l_idx++) {
+    std::vector<input_col_info> h_cols_info;
+    h_cols_info.reserve(_input_columns.size());
+    std::transform(_input_columns.cbegin(),
+                   _input_columns.cend(),
+                   std::back_inserter(h_cols_info),
+                   [](auto& col) -> input_col_info {
+                     return {col.schema_idx, static_cast<size_type>(col.nesting_depth())};
+                   });
+
+    auto const max_depth =
+      (*std::max_element(h_cols_info.cbegin(),
+                         h_cols_info.cend(),
+                         [](auto& l, auto& r) { return l.nesting_depth < r.nesting_depth; }))
+        .nesting_depth;
+
+    auto const d_cols_info = cudf::detail::make_device_uvector_async(
+      h_cols_info, _stream, rmm::mr::get_current_device_resource());
+
+    auto const num_keys = _input_columns.size() * max_depth * pages.size();
+    // size iterator. indexes pages by sorted order
+    rmm::device_uvector<size_type> size_input{num_keys, _stream};
+    thrust::transform(
+      rmm::exec_policy(_stream),
+      thrust::make_counting_iterator<size_type>(0),
+      thrust::make_counting_iterator<size_type>(num_keys),
+      size_input.begin(),
+      get_page_nesting_size{
+        d_cols_info.data(), max_depth, pages.size(), pages.device_ptr(), page_index.begin()});
+    auto const reduction_keys =
+      cudf::detail::make_counting_transform_iterator(0, get_reduction_key{pages.size()});
+    hostdevice_vector<size_t> sizes{_input_columns.size() * max_depth, _stream};
+
+    // find the size of each column
+    thrust::reduce_by_key(rmm::exec_policy(_stream),
+                          reduction_keys,
+                          reduction_keys + num_keys,
+                          size_input.cbegin(),
+                          thrust::make_discard_iterator(),
+                          sizes.d_begin());
+
+    // for nested hierarchies, compute per-page start offset
+    thrust::exclusive_scan_by_key(
+      rmm::exec_policy(_stream),
+      reduction_keys,
+      reduction_keys + num_keys,
+      size_input.cbegin(),
+      start_offset_output_iterator{
+        pages.device_ptr(), page_index.begin(), 0, d_cols_info.data(), max_depth, pages.size()});
+
+    sizes.device_to_host(_stream, true);
+    for (size_type idx = 0; idx < static_cast<size_type>(_input_columns.size()); idx++) {
+      auto const& input_col = _input_columns[idx];
+      auto* cols            = &_output_buffers;
+      for (size_type l_idx = 0; l_idx < static_cast<size_type>(input_col.nesting_depth());
+           l_idx++) {
         auto& out_buf = (*cols)[input_col.nesting[l_idx]];
         cols          = &out_buf.children;
-
-        // size iterator. indexes pages by sorted order
-        auto size_input = thrust::make_transform_iterator(
-          page_index.begin(),
-          get_page_nesting_size{src_col_schema, static_cast<size_type>(l_idx), pages.device_ptr()});
-
         // if this buffer is part of a list hierarchy, we need to determine it's
         // final size and allocate it here.
         //
         // for struct columns, higher levels of the output columns are shared between input
         // columns. so don't compute any given level more than once.
         if ((out_buf.user_data & PARQUET_COLUMN_BUFFER_FLAG_HAS_LIST_PARENT) && out_buf.size == 0) {
-          int size =
-            thrust::reduce(rmm::exec_policy(_stream), size_input, size_input + pages.size());
+          auto size = sizes[(idx * max_depth) + l_idx];
 
           // if this is a list column add 1 for non-leaf levels for the terminating offset
           if (out_buf.type.id() == type_id::LIST && l_idx < max_depth) { size++; }
@@ -1652,20 +1735,6 @@ void reader::impl::allocate_columns(size_t skip_rows, size_t num_rows, bool uses
           // allocate
           out_buf.create(size, _stream, _mr);
         }
-
-        // for nested hierarchies, compute per-page start offset
-        if (input_col.has_repetition) {
-          thrust::exclusive_scan_by_key(
-            rmm::exec_policy(_stream),
-            page_keys.begin(),
-            page_keys.end(),
-            size_input,
-            start_offset_output_iterator{pages.device_ptr(),
-                                         page_index.begin(),
-                                         0,
-                                         static_cast<int>(src_col_schema),
-                                         static_cast<int>(l_idx)});
-        }
       }
     }
   }