[Objective] The trend change and frequency of climate drought on the Loess Plateau during two periods of 1901-2017 and 1981-2010 were analyzed in order to provide a scientific basis for planning strategies coping with climatic drought in the region.[Methods] Based on a climate dataset with high spatial resolution and a long time-series, the annual standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) of the Loess Plateau region from 1901 to 2017 was calculated, and the change in trend and frequency of climate drought in the region were analyzed in turn.[Results] Over the entire Loess Plateau, the climate exhibited four alternating stages:"humid-arid-humid-arid" during 1901-2017. During this time, the variation trend of the annual SPEI was not significant, and there was no significant mutation. During 1981-2010, an area with a significantly increasing trend in drought (based on the SPEI) was detected in the hinterland and midwestern part of the Loess Plateau, accounting for 3.43% of the total area. During 1901-2017, an area with a significantly decreasing trend in drought was found distributed in the eastern and western marginal region, with an area ratio of 1.05%. Moreover, an area showing a trend of significant increase in drought was found in the northwest, with an area ratio of 4.16%. In the most recent 30 years, light and heavy droughts frequently occurred in the central region of the Loess Plateau. In 1981-2010 and 1901-2017, the occurrence frequency of severe drought in most of the northwestern region was lower than in other areas, and no extreme drought occurred.[Conclusion] With the increase in drought severity, the spatial variability of drought frequency gradually decreased on the Loess Plateau. Furthermore, drought frequency of different grades in the Loess Plateau region has obvious spatial variation characteristics.