diff --git a/src/material/sort/sort-header.html b/src/material/sort/sort-header.html
index cc575585a601..6d6067dfe085 100644
--- a/src/material/sort/sort-header.html
+++ b/src/material/sort/sort-header.html
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 -->
 <div class="mat-sort-header-container mat-focus-indicator"
      [class.mat-sort-header-sorted]="_isSorted()"
-     [class.mat-sort-header-position-before]="arrowPosition == 'before'"
+     [class.mat-sort-header-position-before]="arrowPosition === 'before'"
      [attr.tabindex]="_isDisabled() ? null : 0"
      role="button">
 
diff --git a/src/material/sort/sort-header.ts b/src/material/sort/sort-header.ts
index 3ece3422dde2..72f1e125fe8b 100644
--- a/src/material/sort/sort-header.ts
+++ b/src/material/sort/sort-header.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,13 @@ import {
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {CanDisable, mixinDisabled} from '@angular/material/core';
 import {merge, Subscription} from 'rxjs';
-import {MatSort, MatSortable} from './sort';
+import {
+  MAT_SORT_DEFAULT_OPTIONS,
+  MatSort,
+  MatSortable,
+  MatSortDefaultOptions,
+  SortHeaderArrowPosition,
+} from './sort';
 import {matSortAnimations} from './sort-animations';
 import {SortDirection} from './sort-direction';
 import {getSortHeaderNotContainedWithinSortError} from './sort-errors';
@@ -134,7 +140,7 @@ export class MatSortHeader
   @Input('mat-sort-header') id: string;
 
   /** Sets the position of the arrow that displays when sorted. */
-  @Input() arrowPosition: 'before' | 'after' = 'after';
+  @Input() arrowPosition: SortHeaderArrowPosition = 'after';
 
   /** Overrides the sort start value of the containing MatSort for this MatSortable. */
   @Input() start: 'asc' | 'desc';
@@ -182,6 +188,9 @@ export class MatSortHeader
     private _elementRef: ElementRef<HTMLElement>,
     /** @breaking-change 14.0.0 _ariaDescriber will be required. */
     @Optional() private _ariaDescriber?: AriaDescriber | null,
+    @Optional()
+    @Inject(MAT_SORT_DEFAULT_OPTIONS)
+    defaultOptions?: MatSortDefaultOptions,
   ) {
     // Note that we use a string token for the `_columnDef`, because the value is provided both by
     // `material/table` and `cdk/table` and we can't have the CDK depending on Material,
@@ -193,6 +202,10 @@ export class MatSortHeader
       throw getSortHeaderNotContainedWithinSortError();
     }
 
+    if (defaultOptions?.arrowPosition) {
+      this.arrowPosition = defaultOptions?.arrowPosition;
+    }
+
     this._handleStateChanges();
   }
 
diff --git a/src/material/sort/sort.spec.ts b/src/material/sort/sort.spec.ts
index ec3688e0b10e..f8ad12dec352 100644
--- a/src/material/sort/sort.spec.ts
+++ b/src/material/sort/sort.spec.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ describe('MatSort', () => {
             MatSortDuplicateMatSortableIdsApp,
             MatSortableMissingIdApp,
             MatSortableInvalidDirection,
+            MatSortableInvalidDirection,
+            MatSortWithArrowPosition,
           ],
         }).compileComponents();
       }),
@@ -78,7 +80,6 @@ describe('MatSort', () => {
       const cdkTableMatSortAppFixture = TestBed.createComponent(CdkTableMatSortApp);
       const cdkTableMatSortAppComponent = cdkTableMatSortAppFixture.componentInstance;
 
-      cdkTableMatSortAppFixture.detectChanges();
       cdkTableMatSortAppFixture.detectChanges();
 
       const sortables = cdkTableMatSortAppComponent.matSort.sortables;
@@ -92,7 +93,6 @@ describe('MatSort', () => {
       const matTableMatSortAppFixture = TestBed.createComponent(MatTableMatSortApp);
       const matTableMatSortAppComponent = matTableMatSortAppFixture.componentInstance;
 
-      matTableMatSortAppFixture.detectChanges();
       matTableMatSortAppFixture.detectChanges();
 
       const sortables = matTableMatSortAppComponent.matSort.sortables;
@@ -439,6 +439,64 @@ describe('MatSort', () => {
       descriptionElement = document.getElementById(descriptionId);
       expect(descriptionElement?.textContent).toBe('Sort 2nd column');
     });
+
+    it('should render arrows after sort header by default', () => {
+      const matSortWithArrowPositionFixture = TestBed.createComponent(MatSortWithArrowPosition);
+
+      matSortWithArrowPositionFixture.detectChanges();
+
+      const containerA = matSortWithArrowPositionFixture.nativeElement.querySelector(
+        '#defaultA .mat-sort-header-container',
+      );
+      const containerB = matSortWithArrowPositionFixture.nativeElement.querySelector(
+        '#defaultB .mat-sort-header-container',
+      );
+
+      expect(containerA.classList.contains('mat-sort-header-position-before')).toBe(false);
+      expect(containerB.classList.contains('mat-sort-header-position-before')).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should render arrows before if appropriate parameter passed', () => {
+      const matSortWithArrowPositionFixture = TestBed.createComponent(MatSortWithArrowPosition);
+      const matSortWithArrowPositionComponent = matSortWithArrowPositionFixture.componentInstance;
+      matSortWithArrowPositionComponent.arrowPosition = 'before';
+
+      matSortWithArrowPositionFixture.detectChanges();
+
+      const containerA = matSortWithArrowPositionFixture.nativeElement.querySelector(
+        '#defaultA .mat-sort-header-container',
+      );
+      const containerB = matSortWithArrowPositionFixture.nativeElement.querySelector(
+        '#defaultB .mat-sort-header-container',
+      );
+
+      expect(containerA.classList.contains('mat-sort-header-position-before')).toBe(true);
+      expect(containerB.classList.contains('mat-sort-header-position-before')).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should render arrows in proper position based on arrowPosition parameter', () => {
+      const matSortWithArrowPositionFixture = TestBed.createComponent(MatSortWithArrowPosition);
+      const matSortWithArrowPositionComponent = matSortWithArrowPositionFixture.componentInstance;
+
+      matSortWithArrowPositionFixture.detectChanges();
+
+      const containerA = matSortWithArrowPositionFixture.nativeElement.querySelector(
+        '#defaultA .mat-sort-header-container',
+      );
+      const containerB = matSortWithArrowPositionFixture.nativeElement.querySelector(
+        '#defaultB .mat-sort-header-container',
+      );
+
+      expect(containerA.classList.contains('mat-sort-header-position-before')).toBe(false);
+      expect(containerB.classList.contains('mat-sort-header-position-before')).toBe(false);
+
+      matSortWithArrowPositionComponent.arrowPosition = 'before';
+
+      matSortWithArrowPositionFixture.detectChanges();
+
+      expect(containerA.classList.contains('mat-sort-header-position-before')).toBe(true);
+      expect(containerB.classList.contains('mat-sort-header-position-before')).toBe(true);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('with default options', () => {
@@ -477,6 +535,45 @@ describe('MatSort', () => {
       testSingleColumnSortDirectionSequence(fixture, ['desc', 'asc']);
     });
   });
+
+  describe('with default arrowPosition', () => {
+    let fixture: ComponentFixture<MatSortWithoutInputs>;
+
+    beforeEach(
+      waitForAsync(() => {
+        TestBed.configureTestingModule({
+          imports: [MatSortModule, MatTableModule, CdkTableModule, NoopAnimationsModule],
+          declarations: [MatSortWithoutInputs],
+          providers: [
+            {
+              provide: MAT_SORT_DEFAULT_OPTIONS,
+              useValue: {
+                disableClear: true,
+                arrowPosition: 'before',
+              },
+            },
+          ],
+        }).compileComponents();
+      }),
+    );
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      fixture = TestBed.createComponent(MatSortWithoutInputs);
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+    });
+
+    it('should render arrows in proper position', () => {
+      const containerA = fixture.nativeElement.querySelector(
+        '#defaultA .mat-sort-header-container',
+      );
+      const containerB = fixture.nativeElement.querySelector(
+        '#defaultB .mat-sort-header-container',
+      );
+
+      expect(containerA.classList.contains('mat-sort-header-position-before')).toBe(true);
+      expect(containerB.classList.contains('mat-sort-header-position-before')).toBe(true);
+    });
+  });
 });
 
 /**
@@ -736,3 +833,40 @@ class MatSortWithoutExplicitInputs {
     dispatchMouseEvent(sortElement, event);
   }
 }
+
+@Component({
+  template: `
+    <div matSort>
+      <div id="defaultA" #defaultA mat-sort-header="defaultA" [arrowPosition]="arrowPosition">
+        A
+      </div>
+      <div id="defaultB" #defaultB mat-sort-header="defaultB" [arrowPosition]="arrowPosition">
+        B
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  `,
+})
+class MatSortWithArrowPosition {
+  arrowPosition?: 'before' | 'after';
+  @ViewChild(MatSort) matSort: MatSort;
+  @ViewChild('defaultA') defaultA: MatSortHeader;
+  @ViewChild('defaultB') defaultB: MatSortHeader;
+}
+
+@Component({
+  template: `
+    <div matSort>
+      <div id="defaultA" #defaultA mat-sort-header="defaultA">
+        A
+      </div>
+      <div id="defaultB" #defaultB mat-sort-header="defaultB">
+        B
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  `,
+})
+class MatSortWithoutInputs {
+  @ViewChild(MatSort) matSort: MatSort;
+  @ViewChild('defaultA') defaultA: MatSortHeader;
+  @ViewChild('defaultB') defaultB: MatSortHeader;
+}
diff --git a/src/material/sort/sort.ts b/src/material/sort/sort.ts
index 30e1e223c0d0..de01de504c6f 100644
--- a/src/material/sort/sort.ts
+++ b/src/material/sort/sort.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ import {
   getSortInvalidDirectionError,
 } from './sort-errors';
 
+/** Position of the arrow that displays when sorted. */
+export type SortHeaderArrowPosition = 'before' | 'after';
+
 /** Interface for a directive that holds sorting state consumed by `MatSortHeader`. */
 export interface MatSortable {
   /** The id of the column being sorted. */
@@ -53,6 +56,8 @@ export interface Sort {
 export interface MatSortDefaultOptions {
   /** Whether to disable clearing the sorting state. */
   disableClear?: boolean;
+  /** Position of the arrow that displays when sorted. */
+  arrowPosition?: SortHeaderArrowPosition;
 }
 
 /** Injection token to be used to override the default options for `mat-sort`. */
diff --git a/tools/public_api_guard/material/sort.md b/tools/public_api_guard/material/sort.md
index 5b419bc4e475..cf9520aa453d 100644
--- a/tools/public_api_guard/material/sort.md
+++ b/tools/public_api_guard/material/sort.md
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ export const matSortAnimations: {
 
 // @public
 export interface MatSortDefaultOptions {
+    arrowPosition?: SortHeaderArrowPosition;
     disableClear?: boolean;
 }
 
@@ -104,9 +105,9 @@ export interface MatSortDefaultOptions {
 export class MatSortHeader extends _MatSortHeaderBase implements CanDisable, MatSortable, OnDestroy, OnInit, AfterViewInit {
     constructor(
     _intl: MatSortHeaderIntl, _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef, _sort: MatSort, _columnDef: MatSortHeaderColumnDef, _focusMonitor: FocusMonitor, _elementRef: ElementRef<HTMLElement>,
-    _ariaDescriber?: AriaDescriber | null | undefined);
+    _ariaDescriber?: AriaDescriber | null | undefined, defaultOptions?: MatSortDefaultOptions);
     _arrowDirection: SortDirection;
-    arrowPosition: 'before' | 'after';
+    arrowPosition: SortHeaderArrowPosition;
     // (undocumented)
     _columnDef: MatSortHeaderColumnDef;
     get disableClear(): boolean;
@@ -146,7 +147,7 @@ export class MatSortHeader extends _MatSortHeaderBase implements CanDisable, Mat
     // (undocumented)
     static ɵcmp: i0.ɵɵComponentDeclaration<MatSortHeader, "[mat-sort-header]", ["matSortHeader"], { "disabled": "disabled"; "id": "mat-sort-header"; "arrowPosition": "arrowPosition"; "start": "start"; "sortActionDescription": "sortActionDescription"; "disableClear": "disableClear"; }, {}, never, ["*"]>;
     // (undocumented)
-    static ɵfac: i0.ɵɵFactoryDeclaration<MatSortHeader, [null, null, { optional: true; }, { optional: true; }, null, null, { optional: true; }]>;
+    static ɵfac: i0.ɵɵFactoryDeclaration<MatSortHeader, [null, null, { optional: true; }, { optional: true; }, null, null, { optional: true; }, { optional: true; }]>;
 }
 
 // @public
@@ -177,6 +178,9 @@ export interface Sort {
 // @public
 export type SortDirection = 'asc' | 'desc' | '';
 
+// @public
+export type SortHeaderArrowPosition = 'before' | 'after';
+
 // (No @packageDocumentation comment for this package)
 
 ```